January 13, 2021 - Another great recognition for the Croatian footballer: Luka Modric is named the third-best playmaker of the decade. 

The International Institute of Football History and Statistics (IFFHHS) named the captain of the Croatia national football team Luka Modric the third-best playmaker from 2011 to 2020, while the title of the best went to Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.

Lionel Messi, who was named the best in the IFFHS selection in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019, and was second in 2011, 2014, 2018, and 2020, was named the best playmaker in the last decade.

The second in the IFFHS selection is his former Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta, who was twice named the best in the annual selection - in 2012 and 2013. Modric is followed by Belgian footballer Kevin De Bruyne (winner of the 2020 annual selection) and Toni Kroos (in the 2014 annual election).

Luka Modric won the award for the best playmaker in the IFFHS annual selection in 2018. For every year in the past ten years, IFFHHS has given the best playmaker 20 points, the second 19, the third 18, and the twentieth on that list one point. Thus, when all the years are added up, Messi collected 174 points, Andres Iniesta 127 points, and Modric 113.

This is another great recognition for the Croatian footballer, whose age-defying play for Real Madrid could fool anyone that he is 35.

Just the other day, Mundo Deportivo declared Modric one of the best and explained that only Modric did something in the attack out of all Real players.

"Modric was the one who had the best ideas in the attack. He set the rhythm of the game, but none of his teammates could follow that rhythm," the Spanish daily sports newspaper wrote.

Modric will lead Croatia as the captain this year through the World Cup qualifiers, which begin in March against Slovenia, Malta, and Cyprus. 

Croatia will then gather in June for the European Championships, and will kick-off against England in London. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

January 22, 2020 - The International Institute for Football History and Statistics has released a table of the most successful clubs in 2019, with the Croatian champion Dinamo coming in 11th place.

According to the calculations of the International Institute of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), the current European champion Liverpool is the best club in 2019, ahead of Spanish club Barcelona, Manchester City and Brazil's Flamenco, the only South American representative among the top ten.

Croatian clubs are led by national champion Dinamo, which is just behind the top ten, in a high 11th place with 234 points, ahead of Brazilian greats Palmeiras and Atletico Mineira. Dinamo has thus moved up an impressive ten places from the also successful 2018 ranking.

Recall, in 2019, Dinamo became the Croatian champion in April, securing the 30th championship title in the club's history and the 20th title for the club in independent Croatia.  

Furthermore, Dinamo also advanced to the Champions League group stage. Though they finished last in the group, they had an impressive 4:0 win against Atalanta and drew to Shakhtar Donetsk twice. Dinamo was not as lucky against Manchester City, one of the best clubs in the world, losing 2:0 away and 1:4 at Maksimir. 

The Croatian Cup champion Rijeka holds 108th place with 126 points, between teams Petro de Luanda and Al Nassar, followed by Osijek (200th), Hajduk (217th), Gorica (290th) and Lokomotiva (340th).

IFFHS, Club Ranking for 2019:

1. Liverpool 316
2. Barcelona 293
3. Manchester City 284
4. Flamengo 275
5. Celtic 269
6. Valencia 268
7. Ajax 249,5
8. Chelsea 249
9. PSG 243
10. Wolverhampton 236
11. Dinamo Zagreb 234
...
108. Rijeka 126
...
200. Osijek 94
...
217. Hajduk 90
...
290. Gorica 74
...
340. Lokomotiva 67

Source: HNS

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

Yet another incredible recognition for Croatian football as Zlatko Dalić and Luka Modrić get the nod from the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).