Ballon d’Or 2018: the 30-player shortlist, betting odds, start time

Luka Modric with his former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo

(Image credit: Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images)

published 3 December 2018

The 2018 Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best male footballer will be presented tonight and for the first time in more than ten years the winner could be someone other than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.

Fifa awards: Luka Modric wins best player, Mohamed Salah left out of world XI

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The Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best male player in a calendar year has been presented by France Football magazine since 1956. The winner will be selected by a panel of international journalists, with one representative from each country. Sky Sports explains: “The panel judge nominees on: their performances during the calendar year, their talent and fair play, and their achievements throughout their career.” The player who gets the most points in the vote is awarded the Ballon d’Or.