FIFA World Cup 2018: Croatia’s Luka Modric wins Golden Ball award

Croatia’s Luka Modric was awarded the FIFA World Cup 2018 Golden Ball for being the best player of the tournament, beating Antoine Griezmann and Eden Hazard.

Luka Modric has won the Golden Ball for the best player at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. (World Cup final blog)

Croatia midfielder Luka Modric won the Golden Ball award of the FIFA World Cup 2018 despite losing the final to France on Sunday in Moscow.(AFP)

The Croatia captain and Real Madrid midfielder inspired his side to the final for the first time in their history but was powerless to prevent Didier Deschamps’ men from taking the trophy 4-2 in Moscow.

Modric beat Belgium forward Eden Hazard and Antoine Griezmann, who claimed a winner’s medal after netting for Les Bleus in the final, to the prize.

FIFA’s Technical Study Group decided the winner of the award, which was given to Argentina’s Lionel Messi in 2014.

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Past winners include Zinedine Zidane, Brazil great Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Paolo Rossi.

Modric is also among the early favourites to win the 2018 Ballon d’Or later this year.