Luka Modric Voted World’s Best Player

As director of a leading real estate development company based in Johannesburg, Laurence Grigorov is involved in all aspects of the development process, including land acquisition, rezoning applications, architectural design as well as the finance and legal components of these complex projects.

In order to relax and unwind, Laurence Grigorov enjoys watching football and watched with keen interest who would win the FIFA Best Player fo the Year award for 2018.

Luka Modric ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s decade-long domination of football’s individual awards by being crowned Fifa’s best player of the year recently.

Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah picked up the Puskas award for best goal of the year for his strike against Everton in the Merseyside derby last December.

Midfielder Modric starred for both Real Madrid and Croatia as his club won a third straight Uefa Champions League, and he inspired his national team to reach the World Cup final for the first time. He beat Ronaldo and Salah to the prize.

Modric’s success means Ronaldo remains tied with Messi having won Fifa’s award in different guises five times each.

Croatia’s run to the final was the culmination of a brilliant career for 33-year-old Modric that had often been overshadowed by Ronaldo’s goalscoring in their time together in the Spanish capital, before the Portuguese left for Juventus in July.

Modric scored twice and also netted in penalty shootout wins over Denmark and Russia, but it was his playmaking ability that caught the eye in winning the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup.
“It was an unbelievable season, the best season in my life,” said Modric. “I’m still not realising how good a year I had collectively, individually, and I’m very proud for everything I achieved this year and it will be remembered forever.”

For a sixth straight season, Ronaldo was the Champions League’s top scorer with 15 goals and also scored four times at the World Cup, including a hat-trick against Spain in a thrilling 3-3 draw to open Portugal’s campaign.

Modric was joined by Real team-mates Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Marcelo in the FIFPro team of the year, also featuring David De Gea, Dani Alves, N’Golo Kante, Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe, Messi and Ronaldo.

Laurence Grigorov is pleased to see a new winner of the prestigious award after the recent domination by Ronaldo and Messi.

Words courtesy of www.thenational.ae

Barcelona Celebrate La Liga & Copa Titles in Style

As director of Laurence Martin Developments, a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, Laurence Grigorov is involved in all aspects of the development process, including land acquisition, rezoning applications, architectural design as well as the finance and legal components of these complex projects.

In his spare time, Laurence Grigorov enjoys watching football and is a massive childhood fan of FC Barcelona who play in La Liga in Spain. Recently the club capped off a successful season by winning both the Spanish La Liga title as well as the Copa del Rey cup.

Thousands of Barcelona fans lined the streets of the city Monday to celebrate the club's success, although the pain of an early Champions League exit was omnipresent. Wearing the club's trademark blue and claret-coloured shirts, fans cheered as an open-top bus passed by carrying Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and other stars who were taking photos with their mobiles, throwing confetti or singing "champions, champions."

It is the eighth time Barca have achieved the feat, although the celebratory parade through the city centre was not as well attended and less exuberant than in past years. Not only did it take place in the middle of a long weekend, when many locals leave the city, but Barca fans are still reeling from their shock elimination by Roma in the Champions League quarterfinals.

As arch-rivals Real Madrid continue their bid for a record-extending 13th Champions League title, Barca fans are left pondering what might have been had their turbulent season gone differently.

The departure of Brazilian star Neymar last summer came before defeat to Real in the Spanish Super Cup. Barcelona regrouped, dominating their rivals on the pitch to win the Copa del Rey with a 5-0 demolition of Sevilla and then securing the league title, in their first season with Ernesto Valverde as coach, with a 4-2 win at Deportivo La Coruna.

It is Barca's seventh La Liga title in 10 years and their fourth consecutive Copa del Rey victory.
Laurence Grigorov is pleased Barcelona were able to bounce back from the disappointment of the shock Champions League result against Roma as I looking forward to a strengthened squad for the next season.

Words courtesy of www.supersport.com

Ernesto Valverde - Beginning to Leave His Mark on Barcelona

Laurence Grigorov has 15 years’ experience in residential property developments as director Laurence Martin Developments. The company specialises in high-end and luxury residential developments and homes. Laurence Grigorov enjoys watching football in his spare time and is an avid supporter of FC Barcelona. He follows the news on Barcelona closely.

After a turbulent off-season and transfer market, Barcelona have started the league season steadily and have 3 wins from 3 starts.

Guillem Balague, Spanish football correspondent and expert, had the following comments on the playing style of the team: “Barcelona are doing very well on the pitch - nine points from nine, none conceded, nine scored. They have shown traits of what this team is going to be like under Ernesto Valverde; they will press high, they will be physically strong, they have started the season in very good condition and with very clear ideas”.
“Without Neymar, Jordi Alba has more opportunities to go forward, and we started to see the old Jordi Alba that we had been missing for a while. Dembele will need a flank, probably the right-hand side while Nelson Semedo gets used to Barcelona. Those two can become a really powerful force on that right-hand side, and leave the left one to Jordi Alba”.

“As well as pressing high, there is a lot of play through the midfield and that brings the best out of Andres Iniesta. They have nine midfielders, all quite different, which gives them lots of versatility”.

“Lionel Messi continues to score for fun, and this could be a better goal scoring season for him than last because the team plays to his strengths. He's playing in what you may call a false nine position, but really it's wherever he wants, and he feels he is much better near the box, through the centre, with many midfielders around him moving the ball around, creating spaces and moving the ball early”.

Laurence Grigorov is pleased with the good start Barcelona have made to the season and is hopeful that the improvement in the playing style will continue over the season as Valverde has more time to impose his ideas and patterns on the players and the team.

PSG confirm Neymar capture

Laurence Grigorov, who has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wits University in Johannesburg, South Africa, is director of the property development firm, Laurence Martin Developments. The company specializes in high-end and luxury residential developments and homes. Laurence Grigorov has been leading Laurence Martin Developments since the company was formed in 2004.

Watching his favorite team, FC Barcelona, play is one of the ways that Laurence Grigorov relaxes in his spare time. Other hobbies include traveling, reading and exercising.

Laurence Grigorov was keenly following the transfer saga of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain as he is a huge fan of the talented Brazilian player.

Paris Saint-Germain have recently confirmed the signing of Neymar from Barcelona for a world-record fee.

The French club’s official website announced the transfer and that Neymar has signed a five-year contract.

It was confirmed earlier on Thursday that Neymar’s release clause of €222m had been met, and despite the objections of LFP President Javier Tebas, Neymar has become a PSG player.

“I am extremely happy to join Paris Saint-Germain,” Neymar said.

“Thanks for this new challenge - I'm really happy to come to Paris, to PSG, which is a great club in a wonderful city,” Neymar told his press conference.

“I really can't describe what I'm feeling in my heart.

“This is for ambition, they have a similar ambition to mine. I want something bigger, a bigger challenge and my heart made that decision and made me follow.

“That is why I am here. I want to give my best to help the club win trophies.

“I wanted to come to Paris and it was only linked to finding a new challenge. It is not because I was not the star at Barcelona, I fitted in very well there.

“This is not what I am looking for here. PSG deserve trophies and I will have new trophies, this is what motivates me, I want to dream bigger.”

Neymar will not be able to make his Paris Saint-Germain debut on Saturday due to his transfer certificate coming in too late.

Neymar had hoped to play in PSG’s Ligue 1 opener against Amiens, but an official told AFP that the his international transfer certificate was not lodged with France’s Professional Football League (LFP) by the midnight deadline on Friday.

However, the Brazilian forward will be in the stands at Parc des Princes to watch his new team in action.

Laurence Grigorov is disappointed at the player leaving his favorite club, but sees him as a future World Player of the Year winner in the coming years.