The winner of this year's "Golden Ball" won undoubtedly the outstanding player - Luka Modrić. Representing the colors of Real Madrid broke the hegemony of Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi.
There were a lot of doubts about the results of the vote. Football France decided to specify the criteria for selecting the potential winning competition for the player of the year. The decision was to be made by journalists from 176 countries on the basis of individual performances and trophies won in 2018. Football professionals were to take into account the skills and career progression of individual players. The evaluation required the selection of the 5 best passing year, granting them 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point by each journalist. To sum up - Modrić scored 753 points. The advantage turned out to be significant because, comparing, the second place went to Cristiano Ronaldo with a total point sum - 476. Antoine Griezmann closed the podium with 414 points.
Being honest, according to many television experts as well as my own, the Croatia deserved this great individual distinction. In 2018, Modrić won the Champions League (it's worth noting that he did this with the Kings up three times in a row) and with strong, but certainly not the strongest representation of Croatia, which he was and is the undisputed leader, reached the final. France turned out to be too strong in the final, but I think the Croatian team has already turned 200% of the norm.
Ronaldo's second place is probably a kind of failure for the awarded person. Nevertheless, no one said that next year he will not return to the very top and will not win the Golden Ball for the 6th time. Personally, I think his win next year became clear at the time of his "defeat" this year. Machine, legend, eternal winner. The boycott of the event that took place in Paris should be considered a big minus. He did not show up at the prize hand, which can be considered rude ... especially since he was overtaken by his longtime friend from the former team.
I think the third place for Antoine Griezmann is somewhat overstated. On the one hand, a very good footballer with great skills. On the other hand, the result can be considered as high, because the Frenchman carried out an intense campaign to win the plebiscite. However, there is one very sad fact ... when Griezmann was informed by the organizers about the 3rd place, the representative of France decided to boycott the gala and not come to the award ceremony. Very inelegant. You also have to know how to lose.
The winner of the plebiscite is also the trophy for the best young player - Kylian Mbappe. The victory in this plebiscite seems to be one right choice and certainly it should not come as a surprise, while the young French also took 4th place in the "main competition". It is already big and the future is ahead of him. For that reason, his countryman - Griezmann - should be at the award ceremony. If 3rd places for him is a humiliation, he should enjoy the winning 4th place his younger teammate.
5th place is a big surprise. Great Leo Messi, just like Griezmann and CR7 knowing the result of the vote, did not bother to distribute the prizes. I think, because the Argentine suffered a defeat not only in voting for the best football player in 2018, but as a man. Lack of interest in this sublime event in the football world by "God of football" is a great flaw in the image. In football? I think he should change places with Griezmann.
Neymar, who finished 12th, did not appear on the ceremony. During the prize giving gala, he made available the broadcast of his struggles online in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (see here). There were also voices that the broadcast is a proof for the image of a football player's downfall. Neymar moved to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona to get out of Messi's shadow and win the Golden Ball. As you can see ... he failed.
Below are the detailed results of the plebiscite:
- Luka Modrić - 753 votes,
- Cristiano Ronaldo - 476 votes,
- Antoine Griezmann - 414 votes,
- Kylian Mbappe - 347 votes,
- Lionel Messi - 280 votes,
- Mohamed Salah - 188 votes,
- Raphael Varane - 121 votes,
- Eden Hazard - 119 votes,
- Kevin de Bruyne - 29 votes,
- Harry Kane - 25 votes,
- N'golo Kante - 24 votes,
- Neymar - 19 votes,
- Luis Suarez - 17 votes,
- Thibaut Courtois - 12 votes,
- Paul Pogba - 9 votes,
- Sergio Aguero - 7 votes,
- Gareth Bale - 6 votes,
- Karim Benzema - 6 votes,
- Sergio Ramos - 4 votes,
- Ivan Rakitić - 4 votes,
- Roberto Firmino - 4 votes,
- Edinson Cavani - 3 votes,
- Sadio Mane - 3 votes,
- Marcelo - 3 votes,
- Alisson Becker - 2 votes
- Mario Mandzukić - 2 votes,
- Jan Oblak - 2 votes,
- Diego Godin - 1 vote,
- Hugo Lloris - 0 votes,
- Isco - 0 votes.
As a Pole, but first and foremost a self-proclaimed football expert, I think that Robert Lewandowski deserves a place among at least 30 nominees. 10th place of Harry Kane and 13th Luis Suarez convinces me to put forward the thesis that among the typical "9" around the world Robert Lewandowski is the best. Regularity with which he has scored goals for several years should be appreciated. If not this year, then maybe next ...
Thank you for your attention and sorry for my English, I'm from Poland so I'm not English native speaker. I'm still practise...
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