Thursday provided an upset in the race for the UEFA Men's Player of the Year prize, as Luka Modric beat Cristiano Ronaldo to the title. While that win left a bad taste in the mouth of Ronaldo's agent, one man believes the midfielder can build on this triumph and pick up an even more prestigious accolade.
That man is Sergio Ramos, who backed his Real Madrid team-mate to go on and lift the Ballon d'Or this year. The prize has never gone to a player other than Cristiano or Messi in the last 10 years, but the Blancos captain believes the Croatian can end their dominance.
The Spaniard took to Instagram to congratulate Modric for his win and suggested that the accolades won't stop there, writing: "Now, for the Ballon d'Or."
Many have argued that the playmaker deserves to win France Football's prestigious award after guiding his national side to the 2018 World Cup final. His exploits in Russia saw him win the Golden Ball award in what was an impressive campaign for Croatia regardless of their defeat to France.
Furthermore, Luka was crucial to Real Madrid's third Champions League success in a row, albeit he did not grab the headlines as Ronaldo did. The Portuguese icon, currently plying his trade in Serie A with Juventus, is the reigning holder and favorite but should be worried about missing out now more than ever.
