The 33-year-old Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder broke the stranglehold placed on France Football's prestigious award by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the last decade at a ceremony in Paris on Monday evening.

Former Real team-mate Ronaldo and Argentinean superstar Messi had each won the Ballon d'Or on five occasions since Brazilian Kaka did so in 2007.

Ronaldo, who left Real for Italian giants Juventus in July, finished as runner-up ahead of France's World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann.