Luka Modric revealed that former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo reached out to congratulate him on being voted the 2017-18 Uefa Player of the Year award.
The Croatia international saw off competition from Ronaldo and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah to claim the award, with Lionel Messi controversially omitted from the top three.
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1/29 The Champions League 18/19 contenders
We run through this season’s contenders.
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3/29 Lokomotic Moscow
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4/29 CSKA Moscow
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5/29 Hoffenheim
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11/29 Shakhtar Donetsk
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13/29 Monaco
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14/29 Lyon
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Ronaldo was not present when Modric was named the winner of the prize at the Champions League draw in Monaco last month, and the Portuguese superstar’s agent Jorge Mendes appeared to confirm the notion that his client felt snubbed by describing the decision to recognise the midfielder as “ridiculous and shameful”.
But speaking after Croatia’s 1-1 friendly draw with Portugal on Thursday, Modric said that Ronaldo had been much more gracious in private.
Luka Modric won the Uefa Player of the Year award (AP)
“Cristiano sent me a message, congratulated me and told me he is happy for me and I deserved it,” Modric told RTP3 after the game. “He also said he can’t wait to meet me again.”
Ronaldo did not play against Croatia as he manages his workload ahead of a long season for new club Juventus. He is still waiting to score his first goal of the campaign, having failed to find the net in his opening three appearances in Serie A.
He remains the favourite to claim the sixth Ballon d’Or of his illustrious career when the award is handed out later this year, despite Modric’s key role in Madrid’s third consecutive Champions League triumph and Croatia’s historic run to the World Cup final last summer.
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