Ballon d'Or 2018: Every Winner Revealed in Complete Awards Breakdown
The 2018 Ballon d'Or gala marked the debut of two contemporary honors that supporters now recognize as standard and yearly traditions.
Beyond the men's prize being awarded to a debut recipient, the 2018 event launched the women's Ballon d'Or and the Kopa Trophy. The female sport finally received a comparable accolade to honor annually while recognizing the finest talents of the emerging generation.
Luka Modrić managed to end an extended run when he received the men's honor at the gala while Ada Hegerberg and Kylian Mbappé were also recognized during the evening.
Below is the complete roster of recipients from the 2018 Ballon d'Or gala.
2018 Ballon d'Or Results: Winners and Nominees
Men's Ballon d'Or 2018 Winner
For the initial time since 2007, a footballer other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the honor. Modrić triumphed over the competition due to his displays in the 2018 FIFA World Cup with Croatia almost single-handedly propelling his nation to the championship match. Croatia would ultimately fall to France, and future club colleague Kylian Mbappé, but history was still created at the ceremony.
He also claimed the Golden Ball, the World Cup recognition for top performer in the competition, plus UEFA Player of the Year and The Best FIFA Player Award following a third straight Champions League victory with Real Madrid.
Modrić became the first Croatian footballer to claim the honor, and was the initial player to secure the UEFA and Golden Ball recognitions in the same season since Ronaldo Nazario in 1998. He devoted his award to the players who hadn't previously won like Barcelona competitors Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
Women's Ballon d'Or 2018 Winner
Lyon and Norway's Ada Hegerberg claimed the first-ever Ballon d'Or Féminin defeating Pernille Harder, Dzsenifer Marozsán and the other leading stars of the women's sport at that time. As fate would determine, Hegerberg has not placed in the top three since her original recognition.
Kopa Trophy 2018 Winner
Kylian Mbappé, the current French and Real Madrid sensation, claimed the first-ever Kopa Trophy in 2018 awarded to the top performer under 21 years old. The recognition, honoring 1958 Ballon d'Or recipient Raymond Kopa, is available across all six FIFA confederations. The Golden Boy recognition, conversely, is UEFA-focused.
Mbappé defeated competitors including an emerging Christian Pulisic at Borussia Dortmund, Rodrygo prior to his Real Madrid move, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Gianluigi Donnarumma. All exceptional talents in their own capacity now at teams worldwide.