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PHOTOS: Luka is FIFA's Player of the Year!

Last updated on: September 25, 2018 09:41 IST

'This award is not just mine.'
'It is my team mates' from Real Madrid and Croatia.'
'Without my coaches, I would not have won this and without my family I would not be the player I am today.'

IMAGE: Real Madrid's Luka Modric at The Best FIFA Football Awards Show at the Royal Festival Hall, London, September 24, 2018. Photograph: Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Real Madrid and Croatia's midfielder Luka Modric was named the Best FIFA Men's Player of the Year for 2018.

Orlando Pride and Brazil forward Marta won the women's award at a ceremony in London, September 24, 2018.

Modric won the Champions League with Real and then played a major role in Croatia's run to the World Cup final where they were beaten by France.

IMAGE: Luka celebrates with his Real Madrid team-mate Marcelo after winning the award. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters

"This award is not just mine. It is my team mates' from Real Madrid and Croatia. Without my coaches, I would not have won this and without my family I would not be the player I am today," said 33-year-old Modric.

It is the first time since Brazilian Kaka's triumph in 2007 that the men's prize was not won by either Cristiano Ronaldo or Barcelona's Argentina forward Lionel Messi -- neither of whom attended the ceremony at London's Royal Festival Hall.

Portugal international Ronaldo, who joined Juventus from Real Madrid, was second in this year's awards with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in third place.

IMAGE: Luka, France Coach Didier Deschamps and Best Women's Footballer Marta with their awards. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters

Marta, 32, whose Orlando Pride team reached the US National Women's Soccer League playoff semi-finals, has won the FIFA Women's Player of the Year award five times, most recently in 2010.

The Brazilian, who led her country to the Copa America title in April, beat Olympique Lyonnais pair Ada Hegerberg of Norway and Dzsenifer Marozsan of Germany to the award.

IMAGE: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is presented with the Fifa Puskas award by Oasis co-lead vocalist Noel Gallagher and former Chelsea and Ivory Coast star Didier Drogba. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters

France's World Cup-winning manager Didier Deschamps took the Men's Coach of the Year award, with compatriot Reynald Pedros claiming the women's award after winning the Champions League with Lyon.

Voting for the player and coach categories was conducted by national team captains and managers, selected journalists and, for the first time, an online poll of fans.

IMAGE: Representatives of Peru fans after winning the Fan Award. Photograph: John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters

Real Madrid's Belgium international Thibaut Courtois won the Goalkeeper of the Year Award.

Salah's goal for Liverpool against Merseyside rivals Everton in the Premier League won the Goal of the Year, which is voted for by fans, ahead of Gareth Bale's spectacular overhead kick for Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Peru's supporters won the FIFA Fan Award and German Lennart Thy, who plays for the Turkish club BB Erzurumspor, won the FIFA Fair Play Award after donating stem cells to help a leukaemia patient.

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