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Friday, December 28, 2018, 09:40
Modric wins Balkan award ahead of Djokovic and Halep
By Associated Press
Friday, December 28, 2018, 09:40 By Associated Press

Real Madrid's Luka Modric holds the trophy after winning the Club World Cup final soccer match between Real Madrid and Al Ain at Zayed Sport City in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Dec 22, 2018. (KAMRAN JEBREILI / AP PHOTO)

SOFIA, Bulgaria - Croatia soccer star Luka Modric has been chosen Balkan athlete of the year.

Modric won the Champions League with Real Madrid and then guided Croatia to the World Cup final in July, where the midfielder was voted player of the tournament. He also won the prestigious Ballon d'Or for the first time earlier in December.

ALSO READ: Ballon d'Or 1sts: Modric wins, Hegerberg takes women's award

Tennis great Novak Djokovic of Serbia was second in the Balkan poll, and Romania's Simona Halep third.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia serves to Kevin Anderson of South Africa in their ATP World Tour Finals singles tennis match at the O2 Arena in London, Nov 17, 2018. (TIM IRELAND / AP PHOTO)

Djokovic raised his haul of major trophies to 14 with Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the US Open this year, and Halep won the French Open for her first career Grand Slam title.

READ MORE: Modric never thought Zidane, Ronaldo would leave Madrid

The poll was organized by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) and included the national news agencies of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.

Romania's Simona Halep leaves the court after losing to Taiwan's Hsieh Su-Wei in their women's singles third round match on the sixth day of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 7, 2018. (OLI SCARFF / AFP)

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