4 Things that aided Luka Modric's Ballon d'Or triumph

#2 Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo both failed in Russia

Messi and Ronaldo's failure in Russia afforded the Croatian the opportunity to establish himself as the best

Another factor that helped Luka Modric in his Ballon d'Or triumph this year is the fact that both Barcelona maestro Lionel Messi and his Juventus counterpart Cristiano Ronaldo failed to inspire their respective nations to an impressive height during the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Before this edition, the duo shared the last 10 Ballon d'Or awards between each other (5 apiece) and they both entered the year as the heavy favorites to go home with the coveted accolade once again.

Having achieved remarkable success with their respective clubs last term, it initially looked like the duo would continue with their dominance on top of the football world. But they both failed to inscribe their signature on the tournament and afforded other superstars the chance to steal the highlights - an opportunity Luka Modric grabbed with both hands.