Ballon d’Or 2018: 16 Footballers pick their winner

Ballon d’Or trophy is the most coveted trophy in the soccer world and the world is animated at predicting the footballer who will get the honours in 2018.

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.

"He's among the nominees so he can win. He's shown that he is a great player despite his young age, What he shows on the pitch is very impressive. We also see it in training.

We are very happy to work with him.I'm not going to give favourites because I don't want to have enemies in the group. May the best man win.But Mbappe has everything to win the Ballon d'Or this year or in the future."

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.

People like to see goals scored. Hazard is a phenomenal, fantastic player, but he wasn’t getting those 20-25 goals per season. This season he already has eight, so he’s on the road to that number. He has every chance of winning the Ballon d’Or.

Source - Shevchenko tips Hazard to win the Ballon d'Or

#3 Paul Pogba

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.

"Whether it's Grizou (Antoine Griezmann), Kylian (Mbappe) or Raph (Raphael Varane), they deserve it much more than me,I cannot designate one. But I hope with all my heart that it will be one of the three.

One of the four, actually, because there is NG (N'Golo Kante). That's all I hope for anyway, because there are many who deserve it. I do not put myself in."

Source - Pogba On 4 Stars Who Deserve Ballon d'Or, Snubs Messi & Ronaldo

#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.

"We are world champions, we're part of the best team in the world, In this best team in the world, there must be the best player in the world, right? In any case, that's what I think. Afterwards, there are votes, opinions, different judgments. But I think that a Frenchman must win the Ballon d'Or this year."

Source - Antoine Greizmann insists Ballon d'Or should go to a French national

#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.

"Looking at the level of the players you could give the Ballon d'Or to Messi, Cris or Luka, all of them would be just winners, When it was given to Messi it could also have been given to Andres Iniesta or Xavi and so I would give it to Modric."

Source - Sergio Ramos: I would give the Ballon d'Or to Modric

#6 Casemiro

"Ballon d'Or for Modric? I think it has been a very good year for Luka, but I would give it to Cristiano Ronaldo,"

Source - Ronaldo deserves Ballon d'Or not Modric, says 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.

"I would say (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Lionel) Messi and (Kylian) Mbappe,"

Source - Neymar Reveals His Three-Man Shortlist For The Ballon d'Or Award

#8 Isco

"Modric gives us a lot every game, He's fundamental for us. Hopefully we can all be at his level. He deserves the Ballon d'Or, he's a unique player."

Source - Isco calls for Modric to win Ballon d'Or after Champions League win

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

"With all respect to other players who have won it [Ballon d'Or], we know there is a player who is different to the others and that is Leo Messi, Sometimes there are circumstances like Luka Modric doing an outstanding season and maybe people want to change a bit."

Source - Rakitic flips Ballon d'Or support back to Messi from Modric

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.

"As a team-mate, as captain and as a friend, I hope with all my heart that Antoine wins the Ballon d'Or, I know he would be very happy and all of us at Atletico will share his happiness if that were the case, and the French too. Antoine's role goes far beyond scoring goals or making assists. He is, above all, a team player; a player who puts the collective before everything.

He knows and feels what he needs to do on the pitch for the common good. Antoine understands the game very well and makes the right decisions for others. Moreover, he has emotional intelligence to move properly on the pitch. Antoine stands out, makes the difference."

Source - Godin desperate for Griezmann to end Ronaldo-Messi Ballon d'Or dominance

#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.

“For the favorites, I will say Cristiano Ronaldo,Neymar, Luka Modric, Raphael Varane... and to complete it, I think I would put myself, too," he told France Football.

Source - No Messi, but Mbappe names himself among Ballon d'Or favourites

#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.

"After everything he has done this season, Griezmann is for me the number one candidate for the Ballon d'Or,"

Source - Lucas Hernandez Claims That Antoine Griezmann Deserves Ballon d'Or After Stunning Year

#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.

“Luka deserves the Ballon d’Or. We’re not world champions but we have the best player, Modric has done a magnificent job in the World Cup commanding the team. If Croatia made it to the final, it’s because of him in great part. We’re all happy for him.”

Source - Dalic: 'Modric deserves the Ballon d'Or'

#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.

If he does not win the next Ballon d'Or, we will tell him that it is not normal -- we will yell at him! Yes, Kylian is a more precocious talent than I was. His intelligence and maturity really left an impression -- his talent is monstrous. I have known some extra-terrestrial talents in my time, but I think that this is the first time that I have met a young alien!

Source - Kylian Mbappe an 'alien' who deserves Ballon d'Or - Raphael Varane

#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.

"I don't think I'm going to win it, In my opinion, Modric deserves it. There are three to four players. I could say Raphael Varane because he won a lot too. I could deserve it too, let's not lie. But seriously, I think that Modric will win it. It is going to be a reward for his wonderful season in the Champions League and the final of the World Cup."

Source - Modric will win Ballon d'Or – Hazard

#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.

"He is a very great man and a great professional, His career has been full of trophies. In addition, this year he won the World Cup and the Champions League, so he deserves it [the Ballon d'Or]. I hope the winner will be a Frenchman."

Source - Pavard backs Varane to beat favourites to Ballon d'Or

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.