November 12, 2019 – While Messi and Ronaldo have won almost everything, there is one award their trophy cases are missing… the one that Luka Modric accepted in Monte Carlo on Tuesday night.
Luka Modric did not travel to Opatija on Tuesday with the rest of the Croatia national team, though he has a good reason. Luka instead went to Monaco to accept the Golden Foot award!
Prince Albert II awarded the captain of the Croatian national team the Golden Foot Award, a prize given to football players for their individual and team achievements and their personality. The award has been presented since 2003.
“I am honored to receive this award. I am returning to my best level, as I showed in the last game. There are seven crucial matches until the end of the year, and we will continue to play well,” Modric said after receiving the award.
? Another big night coming up for #Croatia captain @lukamodric10…#BeProud #Vatreni? pic.twitter.com/S4DdNh2baw
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) November 12, 2019
Modric arrived in Monte Carlo by private jet and immediately returned to Croatia after the ceremony. In Opatija, he will join his national teammates and continue preparations for the decisive European Championship qualification match – the clash between Croatia and Slovakia, which is played on Saturday at Rujevica at 8:45 pm.
For the Golden Foot award, the jury proposes candidates who must be at least 28 years old and active footballers, while the winner is selected by the audience in an online vote. This year, Modric celebrated against fierce competition, including Messi, Ronaldo, Chiellini, Ramos, Lewandowski, Aguero, Pique, Rooney and Silva.
Last year’s winner was Edinson Cavani, and interestingly, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo has ever received this award. Some of the earlier winners include Roberto Baggio, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Alessandro Del Piero, Roberto Carlos, Andriy Shevchenko, Francesco Totti, Iker Casillas, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Andreas Iniesta.
The winner has the honor of leaving a footprint on the Prince’s Champion’s Promenade. For Modric, this will be one of a series of awards he won after the 2018 World Cup. Not only was he awarded the Golden Ball of that tournament, but he was later named the best player in Europe and the world.
Source: Gol.hr
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