PHOTO: Luka Modrić receives World’s Best Athlete award

21 March 2019 – Croatian captain Luka Modrić was presented the trophy for the AIPS Best Male Athlete of 2018 on Wednesday in Zagreb.

Modrić beat Roger Federer and Novak Djoković to be voted the AIPS Best Male Athlete of 2018 late last year and yesterday he finally received the award.

Modrić won the men’s award whilst American artistic gymnast Simone Biles won the female athlete of 2018 title after an international poll by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), where a panel of 359 journalists from 87 countries voted for the champions of 2018.

“Thank you to everyone who voted for me for this award. It is a big honour to receive this aaward,” Modric said.

The FIFA Ballon d’Or and UEFA and FIFA player of the year winner won the poll with 419 votes. Novak Djoković was second with 337 votes and 4-time winner Roger Federer third in the poll with 290 votes.

AIPS awards 

Best male athlete 2018:

LUKA MODRIĆ – 419 (13.15%)

Novak Djoković – 337 (10.58%)

Roger Federer – 290 (9.1%)

Kylian Mbappe – 282 (8.85%)

Lewis Hamilton – 266 (8.35%)

Cristiano Ronaldo – 234 (7.34%)

Kamil Stoch – 202 (6.34%)

Marcel Hirscher – 159 (4.99%)

LeBron James – 142 (4.46%)

Martin Fourcade – 119 (3.7%)

Best female athlete of 2018:

Simone Biles – 427 (13.4%)

Ester Ledecka – 335 (10.51%)

Simona Halep – 331 (10.39%)

Ada Hegerberg – 290 (9.1%)

Serena Williams – 260 (8.16%)

Mikaela Shiffrin – 255 (8%)

Katie Ledecky – 252 (7.91%)

Marit Bjorgen – 207 (6.5%)

Ekaterina Stefanidi – 203 (6.37%)

Amandiene Leynaud – 79 (5.62%)