Luka Modric Says He Would 'Like to Retire at Real Madrid' After Ballon d'Or Win

Luka Modric committed his future to Real Madrid after winning the 2018 Ballon d'Or on Monday. 

The Croatian's triumph broke Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's 10-year dominance of the award, and the 33-year-old made it clear his future lies at the Santiago Bernabeu, per Sacha Pisani of Goal:

"I have two years left and hopefully one more. The club show me a lot of affection, and I'd like to retire at Real Madrid. My family enjoy it, and I want to keep enjoying this huge club."

Modric has enjoyed a stellar year in which he won a third consecutive UEFA Champions League with Real and then led Croatia to the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

After the Russia tournament in the summer there were widespread reports he was wanted by Inter Milan, per Corriere dello Sport (h/t Jaime Candil of AS). 

He stayed put in Madrid and is now clearly eager to see out his career with Los Blancos.

Since moving to Real from Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 Modric has won the Champions League four times, and also claimed the 2016-17 La Liga title and 2013-14 Copa del Rey.

He won all of those trophies playing alongside Ronaldo, who left for Juventus in the summer.

The Portuguese looked to be Modric's main competition for the 2018 Ballon d'Or, but he ended up winning the award comfortably, per France Football (h/t Sport Witness):

Not since 2007, when Kaka won the prestigious gong, has any player other than Ronaldo or Messi topped the voting:

Real are back in action in the Copa del Rey against third-tier Melilla on Thursday. Modric will likely return to the pitch on Sunday when the Madrid giants visit Huesca in La Liga.