#6 Luka Modric
Rank in 2016: 12
When he arrived at Real Madrid, Luka Modric was rated as another transfer failure of the club, as he failed to impress in the meagre playing time given to him. Fast forward five years, he holds the crown as the best midfielder of the current generation of footballers. It's his pin-point passing and exquisite vision that have helped establish him as the creative lynchpin at Real Madrid.
Apart from achieving success with the team, Luka Modric also grabbed important accolades on an individual level. He won the UEFA Best Midfielder of the Year and trumped Cristiano Ronaldo to the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball. Also, he clinched the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker Bronze award.
As 2018 approaches, a new set of challenges await the 32-year-old who is trying to find his lost form. The World Cup is approaching fast and Croatia certainly wouldn't like seeing their captain being a shadow of his former self, would they?