 "messi, modric")
For over a decade, the two LMs have been formidable rivals but near each other.
It was December 3, 2018, and an unusually dreamy night in Paris when Croatian footballer Luka Modric ended the 10-year dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or. Months before, on July 15, 2018, the Modric-led Croatian team ended their dream run at the Fifa World Cup in Russia with second place on the podium. In May of the same year, Modric was an important part of the Real Madrid team that lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy.
In the 2018
Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app.
Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them.'%3E%3Cg id='Artboard-Copy' transform='translate(0 0.012)'%3E%3Cg id='_126115' transform='translate(0 0)'%3E%3Cpath id='Path' d='M17.537 1.487a.473.473 0 0 0-.467.477v12.67A2.4 2.4 0 0 1 14.7 17.06H3.3A2.4 2.4 0 0 1 .933 14.634V.966H14.587v12.29a.467.467 0 0 0 .933 0V.489a.473.473 0 0 0-.467-.477H.467A.473.473 0 0 0 0 .489V14.63a3.346 3.346 0 0 0 3.3 3.382H14.7A3.346 3.346 0 0 0 18 14.63V1.965a.467.467 0 0 0-.462-.478Z' transform='translate(0 -0.012)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-2' d='M12.676 3.955a.478.478 0 1 0 0-.955H2.508a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955Z' transform='translate(0.124 0.166)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-3' d='M12.676 13H2.508a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955H12.672a.478.478 0 1 0 0-.955Z' transform='translate(0.124 0.768)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Shape' d='M2 6v5.371a.484.484 0 0 0 .467.5H7.531a.484.484 0 0 0 .467-.5V6a.484.484 0 0 0-.467-.5H2.467A.484.484 0 0 0 2 6Zm.933.5H7.066v4.375H2.933Z' transform='translate(0.122 0.317)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-4' d='M12.321 5.5H8.967a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955h3.354a.478.478 0 1 0 0-.955Z' transform='translate(0.517 0.317)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-5' d='M12.321 8H8.967a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955h3.354a.478.478 0 1 0 0-.955Z' transform='translate(0.517 0.467)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3Cpath id='Path-6' d='M12.788 10.977a.473.473 0 0 0-.467-.477H8.967a.478.478 0 1 0 0 .955h3.354a.471.471 0 0 0 .467-.478Z' transform='translate(0.517 0.617)' fill='%23c4132a'%3E%3C/path%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/g%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006.
Preferential invites to Business Standard events.
Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more.