Everything you need to know ahead of Ballon d'Or 2018 ceremony

The 2018 Ballon d’Or awards could be the end of a decade dominance of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi who have both won it five times each in the last ten years.

Having put in a stellar performance at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and previous seasons triumph at UEFA competition, Luka Modric, who was award Europe’s World Best and FIFA Best Player of the year. is once again tipped to scoop the Ballon d’Or Award in France.

The Croatian captain became the first man to be crowned FIFA Best Men’s Player award outside the duo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo since Kaka cinched the award in 2007. Modric could as well end another dominance in Paris tonight.

France v Croatia - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Final

The award

France Football has introduced an inaugural award for the women category since its inception in 1956.

Three awards will be given tonight namely;

· Men Ballon d’Or Award

· Women Ballon d’Or Award

· Kopa Trophy Award (for outstanding young players)

Selection

The first 30-man list of nominees would be nominated by French Magazine while the eventual winners will be voted by a represented journalist per nation all over the world.

A 30-man star-studded list of players is in contention for this year awards. A 15-women were nominated for the maiden Women Ballon d’Or Award while ten youngsters will be vying for the Kopa Trophy Award.

The Kopa Trophy Award will be voted by the 33 surviving winners of Ballon d'Or award like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Kaka, Paulo Nedved, Ronaldinho, Andriy Shevchenko, Fabio Cannavaro, etc.

Nominees (Men)

Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker (Roma/Liverpool/BRA), Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea/Real Madrid/BEL), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/FRA), Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid/SLO)

Defenders: Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid/URU), Marcelo (Real Madrid/BRA), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid/ESP), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid/FRA)

Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid/CRO), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea/FRA), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/BEL), Isco (Real Madrid/ESP), Paul Pogba (Manchester United/FRA), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona/CRO).

Ballon d'Or Nominees

Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City/ARG), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid/WAL), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/FRA), Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain/URU), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Juventus/POR), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool/BRA), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/FRA), Eden Hazard (Chelsea/BEL), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Mario Mandzukic (Juventus/CRO), Sadio Mane (Liverpool/SEN), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Lionel Messi (Barcelona/ARG), Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain/BRA), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/EGY), Luis Suarez (Barcelona/URU)

Nominees (Women)

Lucy Bronze (Lyon/ENG), Pernille Harder (Wolfsburg/DEN), Ada Hegerberg (Lyon/NOR), Amandine Henry (Lyon/FRA), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns/USA), Fran Kirby (Chelsea/ENG), SAM KERR (CHICAGO RED STARS/AUS), Saki Kumagai (Lyon/JPN), Amel Majri (Lyon/FRA), Dzsenifer Marozsan (Lyon/GER), Marta (Orlando Pride/BRA), Lieke Martens (Barcelona/NED), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign/USA), Wendie Renard (Lyon/FRA), Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns/CAN)

Kopa Trophy Nominees

Houssem Aouar (Lyon/FRA), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool/ENG), Patrick Cutrone (AC Milan/ITA), Ritsu Doan (Groningen/JPN), Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan/ITA), Amadou Haidara (RB Salzburg/MAL), Justin Kluivert (Ajax/Roma/ITA), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/USA), Rodrygo (Santos/BRA)

Event details

Venue: Paris, France

Date: 3rd December 2018.

Time: 20:00 GMT

Streaming Channels: L’Equipe’s TV channel and French Football Website

Predictions

Men Ballon d’Or Award: Luka Modric

Women Ballon d’Or Winner: Too close to call

Kopa Trophy Award: Kylian Mpabbe