Ballon d'or news november 2018

Here are some news articles and updates related to the Ballon d'Or award in November 2018:

Luka Modrić wins the 2018 Ballon d'Or

• On December 3, 2018, Luka Modrić was announced as the winner of the 2018 Ballon d'Or award, beating out Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann. Modrić became the first player from Croatia to win the award. (Source: BBC Sport)
• Modrić's win was seen as a surprise by many, as Cristiano Ronaldo had won the award five times in the previous eight years. However, Modrić's impressive performances for Real Madrid and Croatia during the 2017-2018 season, including leading Croatia to the World Cup final, earned him the top spot. (Source: The Guardian)

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi react to Modrić's win

• Cristiano Ronaldo congratulated Modrić on his win, saying that he was "happy" for his rival. However, Ronaldo also hinted that he felt he should have won the award, saying that he had "won more" than Modrić. (Source: ESPN)
• Lionel Messi also congratulated Modrić, saying that he was "happy" for his friend and rival. Messi had won the award five times previously, but finished third in the voting this year. (Source: Marca)

Other notable nominees

• Antoine Griezmann finished second in the voting, despite a strong season with Atlético Madrid and France. (Source: AS)
• Kylian Mbappé finished fourth in the voting, despite being just 20 years old and having a breakout season with Paris Saint-Germain and France. (Source: Le Parisien)
• Mohamed Salah finished fifth in the voting, despite winning the Champions League and Premier League with Liverpool. (Source: The Independent)

Controversy surrounding the voting process

• There was some controversy surrounding the voting process, with some critics arguing that the award was biased towards European players. (Source: The New York Times)
• The Ballon d'Or award is voted on by a panel of international sports journalists, and some have questioned the credibility of the voters. (Source: The Guardian)