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2018 Ballon d'Or
Annual association football award event in France From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2018 Ballon d'Or was the 63rd annual award ceremony recognising the best footballer in the world for 2018. The winners were announced on 3 December 2018,[1][2] and for the first time in its history, the Ballon d'Or Féminin and Kopa Trophy were awarded to the best female footballer and male under-21 footballer, respectively.[3] Luka Modrić, who was integral to Real Madrid's Champions League victory and Croatia's journey to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final,[4] was awarded the Ballon d'Or. His win meant that it was the first time since Kaká in 2007 that a player other than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo won the award, ending the 10-year Messi–Ronaldo dominance.[5]
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Ballon d'Or
The nominees for the awards were announced on 8 October 2018.[3]
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Ballon d'Or Féminin
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Kopa Trophy
Controversy
Cristiano Ronaldo was widely expected to win the 2018 Ballon d’Or following another successful season with Real Madrid, including a third consecutive UEFA Champions League title.[8] However, in the months preceding the award, he faced renewed rape allegations dating back to 2009 when a Las Vegas police investigation was reopened, generating significant media attention.[9] Although he denied the accusations,[10] and prosecutors ultimately decided not to pursue criminal charges,[11] the controversy adversely affected his public image. EA Sports removed his image from promotional materials for the FIFA 19 video game,[12] while sponsors such as Nike publicly stated they were “deeply concerned,”[13] and DAZN indicated it was monitoring the situation closely.[14] Analysts, football fans and commentators have suggested that these developments, combined with a broader desire to recognise players outside of the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry, may have influenced the voting process and ultimately contributed to Luka Modrić’s victory.
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References
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