Ballon d'Or 2018: Luka Modric beats Cristiano Ronaldo to award in Paris ceremony
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Luka Modric won the Ballon d'Or award for the first time on Monday, ending the 10-year dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Modric won the Champions League with Real Madrid and then guided Croatia to the World Cup final in July. He was voted player of the tournament.
"As a kid we all have dreams. My dream was to play for a big club and win important trophies," Modric said. "The Ballon d'Or was more than just a dream for me and it is really an honor and a privilege to hold this trophy."
Ronaldo was second in the Ballon d'Or followed by France forward Antoine Griezmann. France's teen star, Kylian Mbappe, was fourth in the polling. Brazil star Neymar, who was third last year, was a lowly 12th despite a domestic treble with Paris Saint-Germain.
Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural women's Ballon d'Or.
Re-live the ceremony:
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Good afternoon and welcome to our coverage of the 2018 Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann are the names in the frame for the big award this evening.
The Croatian World Cup finalist and Champions League winner is the favourite to end Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's duopoly but Griezmann, after also starring in Russia this summer and winning the Europa League with Atletico Madrid, cannot be counted out.
We will have all the latest for you throughout the day and into the evening.
For some pre-award reading, here is Miguel Delaney on Luka Modric's win of the Fifa Best award. Can he complete the double tonight?
Have the Ballon d'Or final standings been leaked?
A page that looks suspiciously like one from tomorrow's edition of France Football has emerged on the internet.
SPOILER ALERT: Winner might be announced below
So, has the band been broken up? Is the Ronaldo and Messi dominance over?
Well, those results seem to suggest so, and it would cap off what would be a memorable year for the former Spurs midfielder.
Is he the worthy winner? Or do we have some Ronaldo-esque tantrums being thrown around, perhaps drawing faces like this just checking their eyes (not ears) again and again?
Well, the latest announcements seems to be following the list that was broken by France Football.
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba does indeed finish 15th with 9 votes. He finishes one place ahead of Sergio Aguero, with Real Madrid duo Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema in joint 17th.
So far, so good then eh?
The joy has never been there for some in praising an individual's effort. But it seems this leak has even taken out the excitement of the build-up for those attending.
Even though he allegedly hasn't claimed the prize this time around, it has been another year to remember (well mostly) for Cristiano Ronaldo, ten years after claiming his first Ballon d'Or.
The Portuguese's high-profile switch from Real Madrid and Juventus saw him finish with yet another Champions League medal and then net 10 goals in 14 Serie A games so far this season as Juventus look for the big prize.
That move however was followed by rather high-profile allegations of rape which our very own Samuel Lovett had his say on last month.
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Following Paul Pogba's announcement in 15th, it is the turn of former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to be named in 14th.
The Real Madrid stopper is the highest-ranked goalkeeper in the leaked rankings and it looks to be staying that way.
The 100% record for France Football looks in sight doesn't it?
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