Luka Modrić had just played the tournament of his life. He had captained Croatia to their first World Cup Final, through three consecutive matches that went to extra time, and produced one fine performance after another.
Then, at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Croatia lost the final 4-2 to France. It was raining heavily. The cameras found Modrić walking off with tears on his face.
He still got a prize. Modrić was named the best player of the tournament and received the Golden Ball. He broke down in tears as FIFA officials handed it to him, in front of Vladimir Putin. It was the right award for the wrong night. The medal he wanted was the winners' medal, and it had just gone to France.
Croatia's route to Moscow
Modrić carried his team through a demanding path to the final:
- Argentina, beaten along the way
- Denmark and Russia, back to back
- England in the semi-final, after another long night
That run was one of the great tournament performances in history, and many observers put it among the finest ever produced by a player on the losing side of a final.
Why the tears rank at number 28
Because they showed what the World Cup means to the people who play in it. An individual award is a very good thing to have. It was not enough for Modrić when the trophy itself had been so close. The picture of him in the rain with his Golden Ball is about as clear a portrait of sporting heartbreak as the tournament has produced.
Tomorrow: number 27.
