#2 He also had a good season with Real Madrid
In addition to his World Cup performance, Modric also starred as Real Madrid won the Champions League last season, playing in 14 out of 15 matches as Los Blancos won Europe's premier club competition for the third consecutive season.
It is an advantage which puts Modric in good stead, as none of the other major contenders had both a good season with their club and a strong performance at the World Cup.
Modric's vision, technique and creativity from midfield has been key to Real Madrid's success in recent seasons, as his precision in passing and ability to dictate play from midfield helps open up spaces for his teammates to explore, and at no time was this more evident than last season in the Champions League, where Real Madrid were on the back foot for most of their knock-out ties, and needed quick breaks on the counter to score.
Modric was usually the chief instigator of the moves, his pin-point long-range passes helped bypass the midfield of many teams en route Real Madrid scoring many of their goals.
Individual awards reward a player who was adjudged to have been the best and most consistent footballer over the year in review, and with proof of his incredible performance for club and country through the last year, Modric should be named the FIFA Best Men's Player.