The Ballon d’Or list for 2018 is being unveiled today – and you can follow all the updates right here!
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah are all expected to be included in the top 30 list.
The nominations for the Ballon d’Or will see a list of the 30 best footballers on the planet created by France Football. Real Madrid’s Luke Modric is in the running to be named the Ballon d’Or winner for 2018 after winning the FIFA Best award.
It all kicks off on Monday with the players being announced in batches of five at a time. Check below for the latest updates…
Ballon d’Or LIVE
15/30 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
Ballon dOr LIVE: Ronaldo, Salah and Modric are all set to be included (Image: GETTY)
Kopa trophy nominees
The 10 nominees for the first ever Kopa Trophy have been announced, this is awarded to the best Under 21 player in the world.
The trophy is named after ex-France ace Raymond Kopa.
Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold is the only English representative.
Kopa Trophy nominees: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Houssem Aouar (Lyon), Patrick Cutrone (AC Milan), Ritsu Doan (FC Groningen), Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan), Amadou Haidara (RB Salzburg), Justin Kluivert (AS Roma), Kylian Mbappé (PSG), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Rodrygo (Santos).
Ballon dOr LIVE: Trent Alexander-Arnold has made a name for himself at Liverpool (Image: GETTY)
Eden Hazard to Real Madrid?
Does Eden Hazard have to move to Real Madrid before he can win the Ballon d’Or?
The Chelsea winger has been in sensational form for the Blues this season but recently admitted he wanted to leave the club after the World Cup.
And while he admits he faces a tough decision on his future, he admits a move to Los Blancos would fulfil his dream.
“I am really in the game, I am playing good football at the moment. Real Madrid is the best club in the world. I don’t want to lie today,” the 27-year-old said.
“It is my dream since I was a kid. I was dreaming about this club. We will see. I don’t want to talk about this every day.
“I don’t have time, but we will talk about my future soon. I think so. It is also when you have a dream and you want to make it happen.”
Ballon dOr LIVE: Will Eden Hazard leave Chelsea for Real Madrid? (Image: GETTY)
Ronaldo or Messi for the Ballon d’Or?
This may 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.
But Luka Modric is the stand-out contender following his Champions League victory AND stellar outing at the World Cup with Croatia.
Still, Kylian Mbappe may run the midfielder close as he inspired France to World Cup glory.
Neymar, meanwhile, may not even make the top five.
Ballon dOr LIVE: Neymar (right) is unlikely to win the prize (Image: GETTY)
Kane the first Englishman nominated
Here we are – we have our first Englishman of the top 30 as Harry Kane gets the nod.
Remember, he was top scorer at the World Cup this summer as England reached the semi-finals.
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard deservedly gets an inclusion following his excellent campaign in Russia, while France superstar N’Golo Kante – lauded in his hoe country for his efforts during Russia 2018 – is named.
Ballon dOr LIVE: Harry Kane is on the list (Image: GETTY)
Premier League players included
We’re 10 names into the Ballon d’Or list for 2018 and we’ve already got a number of Premier League stars included. Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero was the first name, as the list is in alphabetical order.
Aguero once again banged in the goals for City last season but missed out on the PFA Player of the Year award, with fellow City team-mate Kevin De Bruyne also missing out on that award.
New Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is included – largely thanks to his performances for Roma last term. And Roberto Firmino makes it four Prem players so far on the list.
However, three ex-Premier League players have been named at this stage: Cristiano Ronaldo, Thibaut Courtois and Gareth Bale.
Ballon dOr LIVE: Alisson is named on the list (Image: GETTY)
Ballon dOr LIVE: Cristiano Ronaldo is on the list (Image: GETTY)
Cristiano Ronaldo included
It’s not much of a surprise but here’s confirmation Cristiano Ronaldo is in the Ballon d’Or top 30 list.
This list is alphabetical, so France Football are evidently calling him Cristiano this year.
Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino and Kevin De Bruyne from Manchester City are also on the list.
Thibaut Courtois – now at Real Madrid – and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin make up the five newly named players.
Ballon dOr LIVE: Luka Modric (left) was named player of the tournament at the World Cup (Image: GETTY)
Balon d’Or odds
The next update from the Ballon d’Or top 30 list is at 11am UK time.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at the betting for the 2018 Ballon d’Or.
Coral reckon Luka Modric is destined for the award, with the Croatian 4/7 to clinch it.
Cristiano Ronaldo is 9/4, with Kylian Mbappe at 5/2.
Lionel Messi (remember him?) is way out at 20/1, with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah at 33/1.
Ballon dOr LIVE: Salah is Liverpool’s star man (Image: GETTY)
No Aubameyang
So, it appears as though France Football are releasing their nominees in alphabetical order.
It means Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hasn’t made the top 30, Andy Carroll is also out.
Peter Crouch is still feasibly in the running at this stage.
Ballon dOr LIVE: Man Utd and Spain star David De Gea managed just three saves at the World Cup (Image: GETTY)
Bale on list
The first five names for the Ballon d’Or have been released on Monday morning.
And Gareth Bale is in there, as well as new Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.
Alisson helped Roma reach the Champions League semi-finals last season and is the second-most expensive goalkeeper in history.
Karim Benzema, Edinson Cavani and Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero make up the first five.
Ballon dOr LIVE: Lionel Messi is expected to be on the list (Image: GETTY)
Welcome
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Ballon d’Or nominees.
Thirty players will be announced on the shortlist for the 2018 award.
And there is likely to be a host of footballers from the Premier League among the star-studded list.