Luka Modric named Best FIFA Men’s Player of the year

Luka Modric has been named Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year at a ceremony in London, beating Mohammed Salah and an absentee Cristiano Ronaldo to the top prize.

The Croatian Captain, who was crowned UEFA Player of the Year last month and has now also lifted the prestigious Best FIFA Men’s Player award,  ended the 10-year reign of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at the FIFA awards.33-year-old Luka Modric who was voted Player of the Tournament in Russia as well as at the FIFA Club World Cup – with the latter one of his four trophies in addition to the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Supercopa de Espana, was in fine form last season and lifted four trophies with Real Madrid, while he also led his country to their first ever FIFA World Cup final.

With this win, Luka Modric became the first player other than Ronaldo and Messi to lift FIFA’s The Best award since Ricardo Kaka won it in 2007, ending the 10-year reign of the superstar duo. Ronaldo had won four ofthe last five editions of the award but only ended up in second place this time around, which means the Portugal captain and his long-term rival Messi both stayed on five FIFAThe Best awards – with the award known as FIFA Ballon d’Or between 2010 and 2016, while before 2010it was called FIFA World Player of the Year. On the other hand, Egyptian star and Liverpool attacker, Mohamed Salah won The Puskas Award for best goal at FIFA’s The Best Awards in London.

The 26-year-old claimed the gong for hisstrike against Everton, which saw him wriggle past three defenders before curling home, while Gareth Bale‘s overhead kick in the Champions League finalmissed outOn receiving the award, Salah said: ‘I am very happy and very proud. I have to thank everyone who for voted me.’

Real Madrid Star, Luka Modric admits to tax evasion in Spain

Modric has reached a deal with Spanish prosecutors, admitting he evaded taxes and agreeing to an eight-month jail sentence likely to be converted into a fine, daily El Mundo reported Saturday.

The Croatian star, one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or in December, has been accused of evading 870,728 euros ($1 million) on revenue fromhis image rights in 2013and 2014 via a shell company set up in Luxembourg.In January, the 33-year-old gave evidence to a court that he had already paid tax authorities close to one million euros — the sumhe allegedly evaded plus interest, a judicial source told AFP at the time.According to El Mundo, which is consistently well-informed on tax fraud issues involving footballers, the deal reached with prosecutors involves him paying a fine that represents 40 percent of the amount allegedly evaded — or just under 350,000 euros.

Modric can also convert his jail sentence to another fine of 250 euros a day, which would total around 60,000 euros, the report said.That would come on topof the one million euros he already paid, it added.Neither prosecutors nor the court involved in thecase would comment when reached by AFP.The news comes just two days before football’s world ruling body FIFA awards its best player of the year prize, for which Modric is a finalist along with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah.

Modric is also a firm favourite for the Ballon d’Or, the prize awarded by France Football magazine to the world’s top player as voted on by journalists around the globe, in December.

Checkout what Christiano Ronaldo told Luka Modric after losing UEFA award

See what Cristiano Ronaldo told Luka Modric after losing the UEFA Player of the Year award to former Real Madrid team-mate.

The 32-year-old Croatia skipper was named the best player in Europe last Thursday ahead of new signing Juventus and Liverpool talisman Mohammed Salah as Portugal international refused to attend the event in Monaco despite he was voted forward of the season.

Ronaldo’s sister also aimed a dig at Modric on Instagram by appearing to question the contribution Modric to Real Madrid’s Champions League success last season. But former Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder told RTP3 after Croatia 1-1 draw with Portugal in International friendlies on Thursday night he said:

"Cristiano sent me a message, congratulated me and told me he is happy for me and I deserved it."I have a good relationship with him, he sent me a message congratulating me for winning it and that he hopes to see me soon," "I get on well with Cristiano, we will continue to do so, nothing will change. The individual awards are important but the most important is the group."I am happy to be (in the list for The Best). The players and coaches decide so we will see.

"Modric, Ronaldo and Sallah have been nominated for the FIFA best player for 2018 which hold September 28.

via fcnaija

Christiano Ronaldo blaming Real Madrid President Perez for Luka Modric Winning Best Player

Juventus new signing Cristiano Ronaldo is blaming Real Madrid President Florentino Perez for Luka Modric winning the UEFA Best Player of the year.

The 33-year-old Portugal international won the best forward of last season with 15 goals to his name but lost the player award to former teammate Modric after Croatian star claim the midfielder of the campaign, part of a Los Blancos clean sweep that also saw Keylor Navas and Sergio Ramos trophies.

According to Tuttosport, Ronaldo was due to attend the event the ceremony in Monte Carlo, Monaco but changes his mind last minute and cancel his private plane because he heard rumours that Perez was pressuring UEFA to reward Modric instead.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "Why didn’t Ronaldo come? Only Ronaldo knows you should ask him. We expected him to come but then, a couple of hours before, Juve told us he wouldn’t.

"I'll only say this: there was a vote by 55 journalists and 80 Coaches, so they decided the winner and therefore the result must be accepted."However, I don’t know about Ronaldo and perhaps there were other reasons behind his absence. It’s better to be optimistic…”

Via fcnaija

LUKA MODRIC to quit Real Madrid to join Ronaldo

Croatia captain Luka Modric has reportedly started to consider a surprise exit from Real Madrid to join Cristiano Ronaldo in Serie A.

The 32-year-old midfielder has spent the last six years at Santiago Bernabeu making 245 appearances in all competitions and winning La Liga and four Champions League crowns.

According to Sky Italia, Modric has entered talks with Italian giants Inter Milan over a stunning summer exit from Real Madrid to San Siro.

There have been some major changes at the Spanish club with manager Zinedine Zidane and star attacker Ronaldo leaving the club and former Tottenham Hotspurs star may insist that his future lies elsewhere.

Modric only has two years remaining on his contract with Los Blancos and he could team-up with his fellow countrymen Sime Vrsaljko, Ivan Perisic and Marcelo Brozovic at Inter Milan.

fcnaija