Rakitic hails fellow Croatian Modric for Golden Ball award

Ivan Rakitic put club rivalries to one side to honour his Croatia team-mate Luka Modric in the aftermath of Croatia's World Cup final defeat to France.

Modric was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, and Rakitic shared an image of the two together with the prize on his Instagram account after the 4-2 loss in Moscow.

Rakitic, whose attentions will soon turn to Barcelona's campaign for back-to-back LaLiga titles at the expense of Modric's Real Madrid, paid tribute to his country's 32-year-old talisman.

"Brother Luka Modric, you do not know how proud I am!" said Rakitic.

"All deserved, we celebrate with our family and all Croats!

"Nothing more beautiful than to be Croatia."

The two players will now return home to their home country after the defeat on Sunday, where their supporters will undoubtedly be waiting to give them a heroes' welcome to celebrate the nation's best ever performance at a World Cup.