Luka Modric became the first player since Kaka in 2007 to win the Ballon d’Or award apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Modric, who won the 2018 Champions League trophy with club Real Madrid and also led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final where they were beaten 4-2 by hosts France, broke the Messi-Ronaldo monopoly over the prestigious individual award.