Ballon d’Or 2018: Hazard, Kante, Ronaldo, others shortlisted in 30-man list

Ballon d’Or 2018 30-man list was unveiled on Monday and Cristiano Ronaldo, Chelsea stars, Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante all made the list.

Other footballers on the Ballon d’Or 2018 30-man list are Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero and Robert Firmino. Real Madrid’s Luke Modric is in the running also to be named the Ballon d’Or winner for 2018, after winning the FIFA Best award.

A panel of journalists, one from every country, will decide the winner and will grade their nominees in three categories: performances during the calendar year, talent and fair play, and achievements throughout a career.

See 30/30 names released
Sergio Aguero, Alisson Becker, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Edinson Cavani
Thibaut Courtois, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kevin De Bruyne, Roberto Firmino, Diego Godin
Antoine Griezmann, Eden Hazard, Isco, Harry Kane, N’Golo Kante
Hugo Lloris, Mario Mandzukic, Sadio Mane, Marcelo, Kylian Mbappe
Lionel Messi, Luka Modric, Neymar, Jan Oblak, Paul Pogba
Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Ramos, Mohamed Salah, Luis Suarez, Raphael Varane

This may however finally be the year Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi see their Ballon d’Or supremacy ended. Between them, Ronaldo and Messi have won each of the last 10 Ballon d’Ors.

Both men hold five awards and it seems unlikely that Messi will bag it this time. 

Ronaldo might after leading Real Madrid to Champions League glory in May. The 2018 Ballon d’ Or award will take place on 3rd December, 2018 in Paris.