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Modric: "Representatives of small countries must work twice as hard to win the 'Ballon d'Or'"

Modric: "Representatives of small countries must work twice as hard to win the Ballon d'Or"

Luka Modric, the midfielder for Italian club Milan and the Croatia national team, shared his thoughts on the Ballon d'Or award he won.

The Croatian footballer called the Ballon d'Or the highest individual accolade. He emphasized that winning this award, especially during the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, is extremely valuable to him.

"This is the greatest individual trophy. There is nothing bigger than this in football. Especially playing in the era of phenomena like Messi and Ronaldo, and winning this trophy in competition with stars like Neymar or Benzema, is simply fantastic. I am infinitely proud to be among the Ballon d'Or winners," Modric said in an interview with AS.

Modric also mentioned that winning this trophy requires a special effort for representatives of small countries:

"Because we are from a small country, it is much harder for us to win the Ballon d'Or compared to players from large countries like Spain, Italy, Germany, or France. For this, we have to work twice as hard. That is why I am even more proud of this recognition. But I have always said and will repeat: the most important thing is team achievements. The Ballon d'Or was just a pleasant recognition for my great season with Real Madrid and the Croatia national team."

As a reminder, Modric won this prestigious award in 2018 while playing for Real Madrid. That season, he won the Champions League with the Madrid side for the third consecutive time and reached the World Cup final with the Croatia national team. In the summer of 2025, the midfielder moved to Milan as a free agent, holding the status of the most decorated player in the history of Real Madrid.

For reference, PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé is currently the reigning holder of this trophy. The absolute record holder remains Lionel Messi (8 times). His closest pursuer, Cristiano Ronaldo, has 5 Ballon d'Or awards. The list of nominees for this year's Ballon d'Or will be announced on September 8. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 26 in London.

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