Monaco: Real Madrid and Croatia star Luka Modric received the accolade of Uefa Player of the Year, beating his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah to the prize.
“I’m very happy to receive this great prize. I have worked hard for this, to get to the highest point possible,” said Modric, who starred in the Real side that won the Champions League for the third year running, before also leading Croatia to the World Cup final.
“I can say for sure that this has been the best year of my career, both collectively and individually, and I am enjoying the moment and life. We have to keep working, though,” added the 32-year-old, who was announced as the winner of the prize after Thursday’s draw in Monaco for this season's Champions League group stage.
Modric started out at Dinamo Zagreb and then had four years with Tottenham Hotspur before Real prised him away six years ago.
His success here, after he was named the best player in the World Cup, confirms that he should be among the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or, a prize dominated by Ronaldo and Lionel Messi over the last decade.
Salah was in attendance at the Grimaldi Forum on Thursday, but Ronaldo, now with Juventus, was not there.
“I’m sorry that he couldn’t be here. I am sure there is a reason why he couldn’t come. I would have liked to see him. Hopefully, we will see each other soon somewhere else,” said Modric of his old colleague.
Modric has also been linked with a move away from Real this summer, with Inter Milan said to be keen on him, but he claims to be more than happy in the Spanish capital.
“I am at the best club of the world,” he said. “I want to be here.
“I am not happy, I am super happy being here. And I just like to keep working, doing things well like the last six years.”
Real’s achievement in winning another Champions League title last season was further recognised as Modric also won the Uefa award for the best midfielder of last season.
His clubmate Sergio Ramos was named best defender, while Real shot-stopper Keylor Navas won the best goalkeeper prize.
Salah, on the other hand, insisted he is “proud” to represent Egyptians at the highest level in football after missing out on the prestigious award.
“When you do something for the first time — especially when nobody has done it as an Egyptian before — something great, it makes me really proud,” Salah said.
“There are 100 million Egyptians who see me as a role model.
“That’s something I have to be very proud of. Sometimes you feel pressure because of that, but it also makes you work harder to do your job better and better and better.”
Ronaldo, in his absence, was awarded the prize for best striker chosen by Champions League and Europa League coaches from last season and journalists.
The award “recognises the best players, irrespective of nationality, playing for a club within the territory of a Uefa member association during the past season.”
Ronaldo’s manager, Jorge Mendes, was pretty upset with the decision to snub Ronaldo for the Player of the Year award. “Football is played on the field and that’s where Cristiano won.”
Danish international Pernille Harder, of German club Wolfsburg, won the Uefa women’s player of the year prize. Wolfsburg lost to dominant French outfit Lyon in the Champions League final in Kiev in May.
Agencies
