For the seventh year in a row, Croatia national team captain Luka Modrić was named the best Croatian footballer in the past season, while Dinamo Zagreb player Dani Olmo won two awards – the best young player and best player of the Croatian First Football League, reports HRT on June 2, 2019.
The member of the Croatian champion and U-21 Spain team was unable to attend the awards ceremony in Opatija but thanked everyone for the honor in a video message.
“I’m sorry that I could not be with you tonight in Opatija, but I have obligations with the Spain U-21 team. Therefore, I thank all the players and coaches who voted for me. You know that Zagreb is my second home,” said Olmo.
The winner of all possible individual awards in the past year, a footballer who broke the decade-long domination of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the Ballon d’Or, was named the best for the seventh year in a row by the Croatian Association “Football Union” (HUNS). Thus, the trophy again ended in the hands of Luks Modrić, although his season with Real Madrid was modest and without trophies.
HNS
“Thanks to everyone who voted for me, this award means a lot to me because it comes from the players themselves and the professional staff. Of course, most thanks to my teammates without which I would not receive any individual prizes,” Modrić said and announced that Real Madrid would show in the next season that they are the best club in the world.
The award for the best Croatian female player went to 26-year-old Leonarda Balog of ŽNK Split.
The best goalkeeper award went to Dinamo’s Dominik Livaković and the coach of the Croatian champions, Nenad Bjelica, was named the best coach in the HNL.
The best team of the Croatian First League included five Dinamo players, three from Rijeka, two from Hajduk and one from Lokomotiva. The top 11 includes Dominik Livaković, Zoran Kvržić, Kévin Théophile-Catherine, Emir Dilaver, Filip Bradarić, Luka Ivanušec, Dani Olmo, Domagoj Pavičić, Bruno Petković, Jakov Puljić, and Jairo de Macedo da Silva.
For the first time, the best player of the Croatian First Futsal League named. The award went to Duško Martinac of HMNK Vrgorac. Ivan Bebek won the best referee for the first time.
The special award “Good Spirit of Croatian Football” was awarded to the longtime doctor of the Croatia national team Boris Nemec.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
