Real Madrid star Luka Modric clinched the Ballon d’Or on Monday, putting an end to decade supremacy of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Croatian midfielder has won the Champions League four times including last year with Real Madrid and in the FIFA World Cup 2018, he led from the front to guide Croatia to the finals. Modric who was fifth in Ballon d’Or polling a year back is extremely elated and feels ‘persistence, hard work’ and self-belief are the key attributes for success. Ronaldo and French forward Antoine Griezmann ended up second and third respectively in the polling. 19 year old French star Kylian Mbappe, who mesmerized the football world during the World Cup with his sheer pace and abilities, was fourth in the polling, and adjudged the best young player. Brazilian sensation Neymar ended at 12th despite ending on 3rd in the previous year. And, 23-year old Ada Hegerberg from Norway won the inaugural women’s Ballon d’Or.
