Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi together have been the most successful winners of Ballon d’Or, and those two stalwarts are once again in the race this year. Another top contender is the Real Madrid star and the FIFA best player of the year award winner, Luka Modric.
While the ardent fans of Mohamed Salah would like him to win Ballon d’Or 2018, it is highly unlikely the Liverpool star will get to the podium. Frenchmen Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe are also favourites to get to the final three lists. There are also outside contenders like Eden Hazard, Raphael Varane and N’Golo Kante who could sway considerable votes in their favour.
In this scenario, let us look at what the top football professionals in the world have to say about Ballon d’Or and who they think are the top contenders for the trophy in 2018.
#1 Blaise Matuidi
Matuidi was diplomatic in his answer when asked to pick the Ballon d’Or 2018 winner. Even though he tried to make an effort not to antagonize anyone, he could not help but say it out loud that Kylian Mbappe, his French teammate at France national football team deserves the award.
Source - Mbappé “has everything” to win the Ballon d’Or, says Matuidi
#2 Andriy Shevchenko
Andriy Shevchenko won the Ballon d’Or in 2004 beating the likes of Ronaldinho and Deco. When queried about who he thinks is the absolute favourite to win the Ballon d’Or 2018, he clearly backed Belgium playmaker Eden Hazard to win it.
It is even on the backdrop of Hazard putting himself out of contention of winning Ballon d’Or this year and publicly joking that he may need to look at a Spain move to win Ballon d’Or.
#3 Paul Pogba
Pogba wants a Frenchman to win the trophy this year much like the voice echoed by Antoine Griezmann. Paul Pogba has put himself out of the race stating that there are 4 better deserving players than him, though he is part of the 30-man shortlist announced by France Football.
#4 Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann is not letting any stones go un-turned to let the public know that he wants to win the Ballon d’Or and more, that he deserves to win it. He has time and time come up with statements to say the world cup winning effort of the France national team should not go unnoticed and a Frenchman should get the top honour in 2018.
#5 Sergio Ramos
The Real Madrid captain has put his cards on his teammate Luca Modric to win Ballon d’Or 2018. While at the same time, he raised his views on his fellow countrymen, Andres Iniesta and Xavi, not being able to win the award even though they deserved to be given the top honour.
#6 Casemiro
The Brazilian midfielder Casemiro backs Cristiano Ronaldo to win Ballon d’Or 2018, having played with him at Real Madrid. Casemiro acknowledges the fact that Luka Modric had a very good year, still, it would not be enough to replace Cristiano Ronaldo as the top favourite.
#7 Neymar
Neymar is himself part of the 30-men shortlist announced by France Football Magazine. He really does not feel much interested in his chances to reach the final 3 contenders, let alone win the trophy. Neymar is banking his chips on Ronaldo, Messi and Mbappe to win the award in 2018. Interestingly, he had not considered Modric or Griezmann as a top contender this year.
#8 Isco
Real Madrid attacking midfielder rates his teammate Luka Modric to win it this year. He considers Modric as an exceptional player and who better to say it than the fellow professional who plays alongside him at the top club in the world.
#9. Ivan Rakitic
Ivan Rakitic is also a part of the 30-man shortlist of Ballon d’Or 2018 nominees. But he believes it is his teammate at FC Barcelona who deserves to win the award. Messi clearly scores over Modric with this one, especially coming from a player who plays alongside both of them, one at club level and the other at the national level.
#10 Diego Godin
Diego Godin, who plays for Atletico Madrid alongside Antoine Griezmann, was extremely vocal in supporting Antoine to win the award. He went at length to express his opinion on why he thinks Antoine deserves to win the Ballon d’Or 2018.
#11 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe has quoted himself in contention for the race along with his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Neymar, 2017 Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, World Cup Golden Ball winner Luka Modric and his France colleague Raphael Varane.
Interestingly, he had excluded his French teammate Antoine Griezmann out of his favourites list even while quoting Neymar who had a pretty ordinary year in 2018.
#12 Lucas Hernandez
Athletico Madrid professional Lucas Hernandez is also a part of the Antoine Griezmann fan club tipping him to win the trophy this year in 2018. It is to be noted here that a number of Athletico Madrid stars have come out in the open to express their desire to have Griezmann as the winner to be the first Athletico Madrid player to win the Ballon d’Or.
#13 Zlatko Dalic
The Croatian National team coach who plotted his teams dream run in the World cup 2018 to reach the finals, has vouched for his star playmaker Luka Modric as deserving to win the Ballon d’Or 2018. Croatia needs a Ballon d’Or after their legend Davor Šuker had lost out to Zinedine Zidane in 1998.
#14 Raphael Varane
Raphael Varane is in awe of the talent that Kylian Mbappe possesses and quite selflessly puts Mbappe ahead of himself to win the Ballon d’Or award. It was clear from the FIFA football awards voting results that quite a few of the International journalists, coaches and captains rates Varane ahead of everyone.
In a game where the defenders are not recognized as often as the forwards are, it would be a refreshing change to see Raphael Varane win the Ballon d’Or trophy.
#15 Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard feels that Luka Modric has done enough to deserve the Ballon d’Or. Even though he knows that he himself deserves to win Ballon d’Or, Modric is more deserving this year than him as a reward for the dream run to the world cup finals that Croatia has had.
#16 Benjamin Pavard
Pavard is also part of the group calling for having a Frenchman as the Ballon d’Or winner in 2018. He backs Raphael Varane to win it ahead of the other favourite contenders and feels that having won both the World cup and the Champions League this year, Ballon d’Or should go to Raphael Varane.
Note:
Who will win the Ballon d’Or 2018 is something that the whole world awaits. If you love football analysis, then have a look at the piece where the author has tried to forecast the Ballon d’Or 2018 voting results.
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