REAL MADRID ace Luka Modric has appeared to take a sly dig at former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo for lacking “respect” by not showing up to the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The 34-year-old made the comments after Lionel Messi won his sixth Ballon d’Or on Monday – as he beat Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk by just seven points.
Luka Modric believes that Ballon d’Or nominees should attend the event
Modric spoke with local media after the ceremony and said: “I am very proud to be at the gala and handed the prize over to Messi who deserves it.
“Football is about respect and when you do not win you have to be there to celebrate it on days like today.
“I am here to celebrate football. I have awarded him the prize and congratulated him. I am happy to be here.”
Local media report the comments came as criticism towards Los Blancos legend Ronaldo’s absence at the gala.
Ronaldo was in Calcio, Italy during the gala in Paris where he was named Serie A Player of the Year for the 2018/2019 season.
LUK WHO’S TALKING
Modric – who won the Ballon d’Or last year added – added: “We are rivals but above everything there is respect.
“We have to enjoy football and that is it, like in other sports where there are great athletes who show respect to each other. We have to follow that attitude in football.”
The Croatian international went on to praise the Barcelona forward, as he said: “What Messi does is impressive when you see them (the six Ballon d’Ors) altogether.
“It does not look real but it goes to show that he is an impressive player, one of the best of all time and I tip my hat to everything he has done. We should congratulate him and that is it.”
Modric won the Ballon d’Or in 2018 after finishing runner-up in the 2018 World Cup in a 4-2 loss to France.
He was most recently awarded the Golden Foot this year which is awarded to players 28-years-old and above for exceptional performance both individually and collectively.
Messi’s latest Ballon d’Or is his sixth marking the most any individual player has had in history and beating Ronaldo’s five.
The Portuguese superstar finished third in voting for the Ballon d’Or.
Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or 2019, becoming first player to win trophy 6 times
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
