The 2018 Ballon d'Or Awards were held at The Grand Palais in Paris on Monday night.
Ballon d'Or 2018: It was a starry and historic night in Paris as Luka Modric won the 2018 Ballon d'Or ending the 10-year stranglehold on the award by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Modric (33) was announced as the winner of the prestigious prize in a glitzy ceremony held at The Grand Palais in Paris.
Modric - the oldest winner since Italy's Fabio Cannavaro, also 33, in 2006 - was crowned after an outstanding year in which he starred in the Real side that retained the Champions League before heroically helping drag his country to the final of the World Cup for the first time in their history. The prize comes after Modric claimed the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup before picking up UEFA's prize for player of the season and FIFA's best player award in September.
19-year-old Kylian Mbappe picked up the Kopa Trophy for the best young player.
The gala ceremony also saw a women's Ballon d'Or named for the first time, with Lyon's prolific Norwegian striker Ada Hegerberg taking that award. Hegerberg (23) won the women's prize after starring for French side Lyon as they successfully defended the Champions League title and won a 12th consecutive French title.
There was a little controversy after co-host DJ Martin Solveig asked Hegerberg 'can she twerk' on stage just after getting the award.
1. The 63rd Ballon d'Or winners
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Ballon d'Or 2018: Real Madrid's Luka Modric, Olympique Lyonnais' Ada Hegerberg and Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe pose with their awards at The Grand Palais, Paris (Image: Reuters)
2. Luka Modric
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Ballon d'Or 2018: Luka Modric with his Ballon d'Or award for best men's football player (Image: Reuters)
3. Luka Modric and family
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Ballon d'Or 2018: Luka Modric with his family and the Ballon d'Or award at The Grand Palais, Paris (Image: Reuters)
4. Ballon d'Or 2018
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Ballon d'Or 2018: Luka Modric celebrates with his family after winnings the Ballon d'Or award (Image: Reuters)
5. Kylian Mbappe
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Ballon d'Or 2018: David Ginola points to Kylian Mbappe as he gets the Kopa Trophy for best young player (Image: Reuters)
6. Kopa Trophy winner
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Ballon d'Or 2018: Kylian Mbappe dances with Martin Solveig after winnings the Kopa Trophy (Image: Reuters)
7. Ada Hegerberg
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Ballon d'Or 2018: Ada Hegerberg with the first Women's Ballon d'Or award (Image: Reuters)
8. The moment of controversy
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Ballon d'Or 2018: Ada Hegerberg reacts to Martin Solveig after he asked her 'can she twerk' after winning the Ballon d'Or award for women's player (Image: Reuters)
9. Laure Boulleau
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Laure Boulleau arrives at 63rd Ballon d'Or awards (Image: Reuters)
10. Olympique Lyonnais Women's Team
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Olympique Lyonnais Womens coach Reynald Pedros arrives with members of his squad (Image: Reuters)
11. Antoine Griezmann
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Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann arrives at 63rd Ballon d'Or awards (Image: Reuters)
12. Modric family at Red Carpet
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Luka Modric arrives with his family (Image: Reuters)
13. Mbappe arrives
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Kylian Mbappe at the Red Carpet (Image: Reuters)
