Mitch Freeley 

Monday evening will see which player from the shortlist of 30 stars will win the prestigious 2018 Ballon d'Or. Currently the front-runners for the award are Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric & Lionel Messi, however, on Monday evening we will be able to see who has won out from the Nominees announced by publication France Football. 

The 2018 edition will also include two new awards including the Women’s Ballon d'Or & the Kopa trophy which will be for the best player under 21. All three awards will be decided in exactly the same way. The shortlist for each category is compiled by the editorial staff of the French publication and the winner voted for by journalists from around the world, with one representative per nation.

As ever, you will be able to watch the whole event Live & Exclusive on HD 11 & beIN SPORTS CONNECT. Ahead of the event tonight in Paris, we have decided to break down the three favourites for the Men’s award along with giving you the chance to vote on your favourite from the 30 nominees. 

How to Watch 
Channel – HD 11
Online – beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Start Time – 23:00 (Mecca)

Luka Modric 
Modic enjoyed a memorable 2018, captaining Croatia to the World Cup Final & helping club side Real Madrid lift the Champions League trophy for an unprecedented third consecutive season. The first name on the team sheet for both Madrid & Croatia, the 33 –year old has been masterful with the ball controlling games with his passing, vision and forward drive. Modric is the favourite to take away the 2018 award after winning both the best player at the 2018 World Cup & the FIFA Best award earlier in the year. 

Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese star is the current owner of the Ballon d'Or and could be in line to win a third consecutive award on Monday evening in Paris. Ronaldo is currently head to head with Leo Messi on five awards and a win would see him edge ahead of his eternal rival. On the pitch, Ronaldo played a decisive role in guiding Real Madrid to yet another Champions League trophy. Whilst in the summer the 33-year old made a blockbuster move to Italian Champions Juventus. The striker has shown no signs of slowing down either, scoring 11 goals in just 18 appearances so far for the Bianconeri. 

Lionel Messi
Messi enjoyed another stellar year, scoring 34 goals in 36 appearances in La Liga last season. The diminutive attacker helped Barca to the La Liga & Copa del Ray double, whilst beating rivals Real Madrid in the Supercopa. On the international stage, Messi helped Argentina to the round of 16 of the World Cup losing 4-3 to eventual Champions France. The 31-year old has been a serial winner of the Ballon d'Or down the years but surprisingly has not picked up the crown since 2015. Could this be the year that the little wizard picks up an unprecedented sixth Ballon d'Or award?

It’s time for you to vote for your favourite to win the 2018 Ballon d'Or. Who do you think will come away with the award on Monday evening?