The Modrić 50-Daytona Story: How Luka Said Thanks for the 2018 Ballon d'Or
Last updated: June 2026
On December 3, 2018, Luka Modrić won the Ballon d'Or in Paris and broke the ten-year Messi and Ronaldo grip on the award. His thank-you was 50 Rolex watches, bought as gifts for his Real Madrid and Croatia teammates and staff. At roughly 40,000 euros each, the outlay ran to about 2 million euros.
This is a single-story piece: the win, the giveaway, and what those rose-gold Daytonas would be worth now. For Modrić's own collection, see Luka Modrić's full collection. The source for the giveaway is Simon Bastiansen, his former head of partnerships, quoted via Madrid Zone on January 23, 2023.
Table of Contents
December 3, 2018: The Night Modrić Broke the Duopoly
The 2018 Ballon d'Or ceremony was held in Paris on December 3. Modrić won it. He was the first player since Kaka in 2007 to take the award outside of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who had split the previous ten editions between them.
The case was strong. Modrić had captained Croatia to the World Cup final that summer and won the tournament's Golden Ball for best player. He had also won a third straight Champions League with Real Madrid. The Ballon d'Or capped the best individual year of his career.
What he did next is the part people remember. He did not buy himself a trophy watch. He bought 50 of them and gave them away.
The Giveaway: 50 Rolex Watches, Even the Drivers
The primary source is Simon Bastiansen, Modrić's former head of partnerships. His quote ran via Madrid Zone on January 23, 2023:
"Modric bought 50 Rolex watches after his Balon d'Or win & gave it to his teammates & staff at Real Madrid/Croatia. Even the drivers got one."
The recipients went well past the playing squads. Per Bastiansen, the gifts reached teammates and staff across both Real Madrid and Croatia. Coaches, the team doctor, the physical therapist, and the team drivers all received one. That is the detail that travels: the people who never get the headlines got the same watch as the stars.
The math is straightforward. 50 watches at roughly 40,000 euros each comes to about 2 million euros. One note on the number: the original Madrid Zone post is now defunct, and the quote survives through secondary English-language reporting from Firstsportz, Sportskeeda, and EssentiallySports. Some of that follow-up reporting cites a total closer to 1.5 million dollars and describes 25 rose-gold Daytonas going to the Real Madrid squad, with the Croatia 25 not specified by reference. Bastiansen himself gave no per-watch cost and no model. We flag the spread rather than pick a single figure.
The Watch: A Rose-Gold Daytona, Likely the 116505
Follow-up reporting points to rose-gold Rolex Daytonas as the gift. Bastiansen did not name a reference, so we hedge: the era-appropriate Everose Daytona at that price point was the 116505. The block below is a representative example of that reference, not a claim that it is one of the exact gifted pieces.
The Daytona is Rolex's chronograph (a chronograph is a stopwatch built into the watch, run from the central seconds hand and the subdials). Everose is Rolex's proprietary rose-gold alloy, introduced in 2005 to resist fading. The 116505 ran the 4130 caliber and stayed in the catalog through the 116000-series era before the 4131 update arrived.
The resale angle is where the story gets a second life. A rose-gold Daytona that cost around 40,000 euros in 2018 sits well above that now. The 116505 trades in the high five figures in the pre-owned market as of June 2026, with condition, year, and box-and-papers status driving the spread. We don't see this reference come through our pre-owned channel often. Any framing here on what these watches are worth reflects industry experience and is not financial advice. For the wider picture, see our Rolex investment outlook for 2026.
Why the Story Keeps Getting Told
Two things keep this one in circulation. The first is scale. Footballers buy each other watches, but 50 pieces and a roughly 2 million euro outlay is large even by that standard, and the list reaching drivers and medical staff is what gives it staying power.
The second is context. Modrić grew up in wartime Croatia, and his grandfather was killed by Serb forces in 1991 when Modrić was a child. He spent part of his early life in a refugee hotel in Zadar. Set against that, a self-made player turning his biggest award into gifts for the people around him reads as personal, not promotional.
There is a near-rhyme in the cluster. After the 2024 Ballon d'Or, Vinicius Junior had a Rolex gift run lined up ahead of a ceremony he was expected to win. Rodri won instead, Real Madrid boycotted the event, and the planned celebration was scrapped. Same gift impulse, different ending. We cover that in the 2024 Ballon d'Or Vinicius Rolex story.
Modrić Going Into 2026
Modrić is 40 going into the 2026 World Cup, almost certainly his fifth and final tournament. Croatia is confirmed for 2026, and Modrić is in the squad as captain. His four previous World Cups were 2006, 2014, 2018 (Croatia runners-up), and 2022 (Croatia third).
The 50-Daytona story belongs to 2018, but it travels with him. Eight years on, it is still the first thing many fans bring up when his name and watches come up in the same sentence. The 2026 tournament runs June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For the full lineup, see our complete 2026 World Cup watches guide.
Sources: Simon Bastiansen, Luka Modrić's former head of partnerships, quoted via Madrid Zone on January 23, 2023, for the primary documentation of the 50-Rolex giveaway and recipient list. The original Madrid Zone post is now defunct; the quote survives through secondary English-language reporting (Firstsportz, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports), some of which cites a total outlay closer to $1.5 million and describes 25 rose-gold Daytonas for the Real Madrid squad, with the Croatia 25 not specified by reference. Bastiansen gave no per-watch cost and no model; the era-appropriate Everose Daytona at that price point was the 116505, used here as a representative reference and not a claim about the exact gifted pieces. Modrić's biographical context (wartime Croatia upbringing, grandfather killed by Serb forces in 1991) is publicly documented across multiple biographical sources. Rose-gold Daytona secondary market context reflects Chrono24 and WatchCharts data. Squad composition reflects Croatia's final 26-man squad as of June 2026, with Modrić confirmed as captain. Retail pricing reflects brand MSRP at release; secondary market pricing varies by condition, year, and dealer. This article reflects industry experience and is not financial advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Modrić do after winning the 2018 Ballon d'Or?
He bought 50 rose-gold Rolex Daytonas as thank-you gifts for his Real Madrid and Croatian national-team squads and staff, including coaches, the team doctor, the physical therapist, and the team drivers. Total outlay ran to about 2 million euros. The source is his former head of partnerships, Simon Bastiansen, via Madrid Zone on January 23, 2023.
How many Rolex watches did Modrić give away?
Fifty. At roughly 40,000 euros each, that comes to about 2 million euros across his Real Madrid and Croatia squads. Some secondary reporting cites a figure closer to $1.5 million and describes 25 rose-gold Daytonas for Real Madrid, with the other 25 not specified by reference.
What kind of Daytona did Modrić give?
Rose-gold Rolex Daytonas, per follow-up reporting. Bastiansen named no reference, so the model is not pinned in primary sources. Based on the era and the roughly 40,000-euro price point, the likely reference is the Everose Daytona 116505.
Why is the Modrić giveaway story so often told?
Two reasons. The scale is unusual even in football: 50 watches and a roughly 2 million euro outlay, with the list reaching drivers and medical staff. And the context carries weight. Modrić grew up in wartime Croatia and lost his grandfather to Serb forces in 1991, which frames the gesture as personal rather than promotional.
Is Modrić playing in the 2026 World Cup?
Yes. Croatia is confirmed for 2026, and Modrić is in the squad as captain. At 40, this is almost certainly his fifth and final World Cup, following 2006, 2014, 2018, and 2022.