While Luka Modrić was named the best footballer in the world on Monday, four other Croatian superstars shared a bit of the FIFA spotlight, too.
Although Luka Modrić is the only Croatian footballer who has found himself in FIFA FIFPro’s World 11, there are four other Croatia national team players who made FIFA’s best reserves, reports Goal.hr on September 25, 2018.
The third best team in the world according to FIFA includes Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitić, while Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren is found on the fourth, and Serie A stars Šime Vrsaljko and Marijo Mandžukić make the fifth best! Antoine Griezmann, one of the biggest critics of Modrić being named the best footballer in the world, only made the third best team, while football superstars such as Neymar, Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah made the second.
Recall, Luka Modrić was named the best men’s footballer in the world on Monday by FIFA, and received the honor in London at the Royal Festival Hall in front of the international football elite. Modrić beat out Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah for the award, and broke the 10-year trend of Ronaldo and Messi taking home the prize. Modrić has thus become the first footballer in history to win the prestigious football hat trick – World Cup ‘Golden Ball’, UEFA ‘Men’s Player of the Year’, and FIFA ‘Men’s Player of the Year’ in the same year.
Congratulations, Luka Modric ?
Winner of #TheBest FIFA Men’s Player 2018 ?#FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/D489MswXug— #TheBest (@FIFAcom) September 24, 2018
To top off his night, Modrić was also included in FIFA FIFPro’s World 11, next to David de Gea, Dani Alves, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, N’Golo Kante, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Eden Hazard, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
FIFPro Second Team: Courtois; Carvajal, Silva, Umtiti, Walker; Pogba, De Bruyne, Kroos; Kane, Neymar, Salah
FIFPro Third Team: Navas; Alba, Godin, Kimmich, Pique; Iniesta, Isco, Rakitić; Griezmann, Lukaku, Suarez
FIFPro Fourth Team: Buffon; Chiellini, Lovren, Pavard, Trippier; Busquets, Casemiro, Coutinho; Cavani, Dybala, Mane
FIFPro Fifth Team: Ter Stegen; Van Dijk, Hummels, Mina, Vrsaljko; Matić, Silva, Vidal; Benzema, Lewandowski, Mandžukić
