Published 11:37 IST, November 13th 2019
Luka Modric has been announced as the 2019 Golden Foot award winner
Real Madrid's Croatian playmaker Luka Modric has been announced as the winner of the 2019 Golden Foot award. Luka Modric also won the Ballon d'Or in 2018.
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric has become the 17th winner of the Golden Foot award. The Golden Foot is an award given to players over the age of 29. As per the official website, the Golden Foot award is exclusively 'dedicated to the best footballers ever.'
The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner has made a slow start to the 2019-20 season with Real Madrid. However, it is believed that his 2018 Ballon d'Or win went a long way in positioning himself as the winner of the 2019 Golden Foot award. PSG's Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani was the recipient of the 2018 Golden Foot award.
Luka Modric in illustrious company
Luka Modric's win places him in the company of fellow Golden Boot winners like Roberto Baggio, Pavel Nedved, Ronaldo Nazario and Ronaldinho. Luka Modric received the award in Monaco. In an interview after receiving the award, Modric went on to say that receiving the Golden Foot award was an honour for him. The Real Madrid playmaker also said that while he may have made a slow start to the 2019-20 season, he is now getting back to his best, after missing a couple of games through injury. Luka Modric has become the second person to win the Golden Foot award a year after winning the Ballon d'Or. Juventus legend Pavel Nedved was the first player to do so. Modric has also become the first Croatian to win the award. Jose Altafini, Paulo Roberto Falcao, Carolina Morace and Patrick Vieira handed the 34-year-old Real Madrid midfielder the accolade.
It is perhaps surprising that neither of Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi have won the coveted Golden Foot award. Both Ronaldo and Messi are above the age of 29 and have won multiple Ballon d'Ors. However, neither has joined the pantheon of Golden Foot winners. Yet.
Updated 12:17 IST, November 13th 2019