Paris, Dec 4 (IANS): Croatian midfielder Luka Modric playing for Real Madrid claimed the 2018 Ballon d'Or here on Monday to end the past decade dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the award.
Modric beat Ronaldo, Frenchman Antoine Griezmann and another France World Cup winning member Kylian Mbappe in the vote. Messi finished fifth, Xinhua news agency reported.
Founded in 1956 by France Football magazine, Ballon d'Or honours the player with the best performance over the year based on voting by football journalists.
It was merged with FIFA World Player of the Year into FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010, before the two awards were separated in 2016.