The Welsh wizard took to social media to congratulate his Real Madrid team-mate
Gareth Bale lauded his Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric as "an unbelievable player" after the midfielder clinched the FIFA Best Men's Player award .
Modric saw off Mohamed Salah and former Madrid colleague Ronaldo - who won in 2017 - to the Best Men's Player award at the ceremony at London's Royal Festival Hall, having enjoyed a stellar 2018 in which he won the Champions League and reached a World Cup final.
Both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were notably absent from the ceremony with football legends quick to to criticise the duos decision not to attend.
Bale meanwhile, whose sensational overhead kick in Madrid's victory over Liverpool in the final of Europe's elite club competition lost out to Salah's goal against Everton in the Puskas Award , took to social media to heap praise on Modric.
"Congratulations my friend! An unbelievable player and an unbelievable season," the Wales star tweeted.
The Croatian's gong completed a terrific night for Madrid, who dominated the FIFA FIFPro World XI, with Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Raphael Varane joining Modric in the team.
Varane also picked up numerous top-three votes on Best Player ballots, including on Ronaldo's, who listed the defender No.1, ahead of Luka Modric and Antoine Griezmann.
Thibaut Courtois, who joined Madrid from Chelsea in the off-season, also picked up the best goalkeeper award, though he missed out to David De Gea on the FIFPro World XI.
Ismitty
59
Ronaldo reaction after seeing this comment
Jeenyguy
50
No one knows the standards of the best player in the world !!!!!! I remember Messi when he won it in 2010 and Iniesta deserved it 100% because he was a champions league and a World Cup winner. He was the best player in the World Cup and He was the only one who scored the only winner goal in the World Cup and then He did not win it !!!! The reason was that the prize was based on Individual numbers!!!!! Today Salah is superior in individual numbers to all but today's award criteria have become suddenly different !!! The same story happened with Franck Ribery in 2013 and ronaldo won and Ribery was the winner of all the championships of the Bundesliga through the Champions League to the Club World Cup and Ronaldo won the best player, today where the individual standards went !!!! No comment ....... and Modric is certainly worth it if the calibration is used on the group work or champions but I am talking about the standards that have been implemented throughout the history of this award ....
Lanpandra
38
You go Luka!!!!Well deserved! Finally recognition! It is about votes and it was a democratic decision! Majority wins! All the others complaining, this is not about your individual preferences! Continue to support whoever you like or admire! More power to you, but at least be respectful and accepting of the process! The hate is so unbecoming! Luka, celebrate your win and be proud that you have been recognized by your peers! You came a long way!