Ballon d or 2018 news before the ceremony
Here are some news articles and updates from before the 2018 Ballon d'Or ceremony:
Nominations
- The 30 nominees for the 2018 Ballon d'Or were announced on October 12, 2018. The list included some of the biggest stars in the world, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Luka Modrić.
- The nominees were selected by a panel of international sports journalists and were based on their performances during the 2017-2018 season.
Favorites
- Cristiano Ronaldo was considered one of the favorites to win the award, having won the Champions League with Real Madrid and the UEFA European Championship with Portugal.
- Lionel Messi was also a strong contender, having won the La Liga title with Barcelona and the Copa del Rey.
- Kylian Mbappé was a dark horse candidate, having won the FIFA World Cup with France and the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain.
Controversy
- There was some controversy surrounding the nominations, with some fans and pundits feeling that certain players were snubbed, such as Mohamed Salah and Eden Hazard.
- There were also concerns about the voting process, with some critics arguing that the selection of the nominees was biased towards European players.
Pre-ceremony predictions
- Many pundits and fans predicted that Cristiano Ronaldo would win the award, given his impressive performances in the Champions League and the UEFA European Championship.
- Others predicted that Lionel Messi would win, citing his consistent dominance in the La Liga and his impressive goal-scoring record.
- Some also predicted that Kylian Mbappé would win, given his impressive performances in the World Cup and the Ligue 1.
Ceremony details
- The 2018 Ballon d'Or ceremony was held on December 3, 2018, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.
- The ceremony was hosted by journalist Amélie Vespa and featured a number of special guests, including former Ballon d'Or winners and international football stars.
These are just a few of the news articles and updates from before the 2018 Ballon d'Or ceremony. The ceremony ultimately saw Luka Modrić win the award, marking a historic first for a Croatian player.