Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric won the 2018 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the award in more than a decade.

33 year old Modric, won his third successive Champions League in May before helping Croatia to a first World Cup final.

Modric was the odds‑on favourite for the award as he had won the Fifa Best Men's Player award in September.

Former Brazil and AC Milan forward Kaka, in 2007, was the last player other than Messi or Ronaldo to win the award.

Ronaldo, who joined Real Madrid from Juventus in the summer, came second.

Barcelona forward Messi finished fifth, with Atletico Madrid frontman Antoine Griezmann and PSG attacker Kylian Mbappe ‑ both of whom won the World Cup with France ‑ placed third and fourth respectively.

[Source: BBC SPORTS]