Solari says Modric deserves Ballon d’Or

Luka Modric

Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari says it would be “phenomenal” if midfielder Luka Modric wins the Ballon d’Or, but believes Raphael Varane or Karim Benzema would be equally deserving of the prize.

Modric won the Fifa’s ‘The Best’ award in September after leading Croatia to the World Cup final back in July, and the 33-year-old is the favourite to claim the France Football award on December 3.

“Phenomenal, fantastic,” Solari said on Friday. “It will be just as deserved if it’s won by him, by Varane or by Benzema.”

Solari took over from Julen Lopetegui after the Basque was sacked by Real at the end of October and after guiding Madrid to four wins in a row as interim coach, the Argentine has been appointed on a full-time basis until 2021.

“I’m very grateful and very excited by this enormous and beautiful responsibility,” he said. “It doesn’t change anything from the 11 years I have spent with this institution. The commitment day in, day out in life is there and even more so in this job.”

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Asked, as he was in his very first press conference as Madrid boss, if he sees himself as another Zinedine Zidane, Solari rejected comparisons with his former team-mate and friend.

“I answered that question the first day,” he said. “Zidane is incomparable with anyone, he’s a legend of this club as a footballer because he had a fantastic level. He was exquisite.

“I was lucky enough to sweat and fight alongside him (as a player) and as a coach. I don’t know because I don’t have the statistics, but he must be the most successful this club had has. I admire him as a man, I don’t compare him with anyone. We have to leave him be.”

Real Madrid return to action in La Liga after the international break with a trip to Eibar on Saturday morning, and Solari is happy to have his players back.

“The most difficult thing is all the trips,” he said. “The players come back from different countries, different time zones. Some play one game, others two. They arrive at different times. The good news is that we are all together again.”