Sports Wednesday, December 5, 2018 19 2018 FIFA BALLON D’OR AWARD CEREMONY Sweden national team set target for Qatar winter tour in Jan 2019 Face Finland in a friendly match in Doha on January 8 IKOLI VICTOR DOHA SWEDEN’S national football team will visit Qatar on a win- ter tour from 3-13 January 2019 to build a new generation of players towards preparation for Euro 2020 Championship qualifying and Qatar 2022 Word Cup. “We see it as a big ad- vantage to visit the host of the 2022 World Cup and this could be the first step in our preparations. Our goal is to get to that World Sweden coach Janne Andersson Cup,” said Coach Janne An- before a Nations League match dersson. against Turkey recently. (REUTERS) “In addition, we will be able to play a match against were selected from Bundes- Finland, which also will have liga side Borussia Dortmund their camp in Qatar during the and English Premier League Real Madrid’s Croatian midfielder Luka Modric after receiving the 2018 FIFA Men’s Ballon d’Or Olympique Lyonnais’ Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg after receiving the 2018 same period,” he added. club Brighton. There are award during the Ballon d’Or award ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris on Monday. (AFP) FIFA Women’s Ballon d’Or award in Paris on Monday. (AFP) Sweden will play two twelve players in the squad games during their 10-day that are possible debutants in stay in Qatar, against Finland the team. and another team yet to be “For the players, it’s an named. opportunity to get acquaint- The Swedes have been ed with our way of playing Modric wins Ballon d’Or grouped with Spain, Norway, and exercising, and getting Romania, the Faroe Islands to know how it works in the and Malta in the search for a national team. If any of these place in the 2020 champion- players get caught up then it ship. They begin their quali- means a significantly shorter to end Messi-Ronaldo grip fier against Romania in March way into the team, “said An- 2019. dersson. Andersson, who guided “It’s hard to choose a Hegerberg says ‘twerk’ request doesn’t overshadow historic Ballon d’Or Sweden to the World Cup squad, you have to compare quarter-finals in Russia and so many parameters, and here AFP helping drag his country to the Modric has won 14 trophies group victory in the Nations we’re not just picking the best PARIS final of the World Cup for the since joining Real in 2012, League, announced a list of 26 players. We have to look at first time in their history. including four Champions players that consists mainly potential, players that can de- LUKA Modric saw off com- Croatia lost 4-2 to France in Leagues. He could add to that of players from the Nordic velop into internationals,” he petition from a host of French Moscow in the final in July. as Real take part in the Club leagues. Some other players added. World Cup stars as the Real The prize comes after World Cup later this month. Madrid and Croatia midfielder Modric claimed the Golden Ball A refugee at one point grow- won the 2018 Ballon d’Or on for the best player at the World ing up during Croatia’s War of Monday, ending the 10-year Cup before picking up UEFA’s Independence in the 1990s, his stranglehold on the award by prize for player of the season popularity in Croatia was hit River Plate confirm flight to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel and FIFA’s best player award in by his testimony last year dur- Messi. September. ing the multi-million-euro cor- Madrid for Libertadores final Modric, 33, was announced Ronaldo and Messi were ruption trial of former Dinamo as the winner of the prestigious among 30 nominees for the Bal- chief Zdravko Mamic. AFP the match and it was post- prize in a glitzy ceremony held lon d’Or, organised by France Prosecutors charged BUENOS AIRES poned 24 hours, only to then in Paris. Ronaldo was second, Football magazine and which Modric for giving false evi- be called off indefinitely the with France and Atletico Ma- takes votes from 180 journalists dence, but the charges have THE River Plate team will next day. drid striker Antoine Griezmann from around the world. now been dropped. leave for Spain on Wednesday Boca petitioned CONME- completing the podium. The Portuguese star played Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe after receiving Hegerberg, 23, won the to play the second leg of the BOL to be awarded the trophy, Paris Saint-Germain’s teen- with Modric in the Madrid the Koppa Trophy during the 2018 FIFA Ballon d’Or award ceremony women’s prize after starring for highly controversial Liberta- but that was rejected. age forward Kylian Mbappe side that won the Champions French side Lyon as they suc- dores Cup final, the club an- The first leg at Boca Jun- came fourth, leaving Messi to League before moving to Ju- TOP PLAYERS PREVIOUS WINNERS cessfully defended the Champi- nounced on Monday. iors’ Bombonera Stadium had settle for fifth position. Another ventus in a typically prolific ons League title and won a 12th In a statement to the South finished 2-2. Frenchman, Modric’s Madrid year, while Messi has again Men (Past 21 years) consecutive French title. American football federation CONMEBOL then teammate Raphael Varane, was been outstanding with Barce- 1. Luka Modric 2018 Luka Modric “I want to say thanks to CONMEBOL, the Argentin- switched the match to Madrid, seventh, just behind Liverpool’s lona. 2. Cristiano Ronaldo 2017 Cristiano Ronaldo my teammates because this ian club said the team would a decision opposed by both Ar- Egyptian forward Mohamed The pair had won the prize 3. Antoine Griezmann 2016 Cristiano Ronaldo would not have been possible leave for Spain “Wednesday at gentinian clubs. Salah. five times each in the last dec- 2015 Lionel Messi without them, my coach or our 1400 local time (1700 GMT) Boca have not announced “As a kid we all have ade but both are now in their 4. Kylian Mbappé president Jean-Michel Aulas,” in a charter flight from Ezeiza the timing of their team depar- dreams. My dream was to play 30s and neither stamped their 5. Lionel Messi 2014 Cristiano Ronaldo Hegerberg said. “I also want to airport”. ture although, according to the for a big club and win impor- authority on the World Cup. 6. Mohamed Salah 2013 Cristiano Ronaldo thank France Football. This is River Plate had earlier said local press, the indications are tant trophies,” Modric said. Messi finishes outside the 7. Raphael Varane 2012 Lionel Messi a huge step for women’s foot- it was opposed to moving Sun- that they will leave on Tuesday “The Ballon d’Or was more top three in the voting for the 8. Eden Hazard 2011 Lionel Messi ball.” day’s match against fierce local evening with fans preparing than just a dream for me and it first time since 2006. 2010 Lionel Messi The 23-year-old was asked rivals Boca Juniors from Bue- farewell festivities for Tuesday is really an honour and a privi- The World Cup was always 9. Kevin de Bruyne if she would perform a sexually nos Aires to the Santiago Ber- afternoon in the neighborhood lege to hold this trophy.” likely to play a key role, and 10. Harry Kane 2009 Lionel Messi provocative dance by French nabeu in Madrid. of La Boca. Mbappe, who does not France had hoped to see one Women 2008 Cristiano Ronaldo host DJ, Martin Solveig, and Coach Marcelo Gallardo On Monday, boca and turn 20 until later this month, of their stars take the award on 1. Ada Hegerberg 2007 Kaka appeared embarrassed as she had called it “absurd”, adding River put on sale the 5,000 picked up the consolation prize home soil. 2. Pernille Harder 2006 Fabio Cannavaro rejected the request. that his side had lost home ad- tickets that each club has for of the Kopa Trophy for the best The last time a Frenchman 2005 Ronaldinho Hegerberg later said: “He vantage. fans living in Argentina. They young player. won the Ballon d’Or came in 3. Dzsenifer Maroszan came to see me after and apolo- River should have hosted cost 3,600 pesos (84 euros) -- The gala ceremony also saw 1998, when Zinedine Zidane 4. Marta 2004 Andriy Shevchenko gised. The Ballon d’Or is the the match at their own El Mon- about a quarter of the average a women’s Ballon d’Or named was rewarded for starring 5. Sam Kerr 2003 Pavel Nedved most important thing.” umental stadium on Novem- salary in Argentina. for the first time, with Lyon’s as Les Bleus won that year’s 6. Lucy Bronze 2002 Ronaldo “I am touched and very ber 24 but it was postponed In Spain, 20,000 addi- prolific Norwegian striker Ada World Cup. But perhaps the 7. Amandine Henry 2001 Michael Owen proud, for women’s football, after River Plate fans attacked tional tickets for River fans not Hegerberg taking that award. lack of a single standout French 2000 Luis Figo for myself, for the club. I share the Boca Juniors team bus. residing in Argentina sold in a Modric -- the oldest winner candidate cleared the path for 8. Wendie Renard this with Olympique Lyonnais, Several Boca Juniors play- few hours, a source close to the since Italy’s Fabio Cannavaro, Modric -- Hugo Lloris, Paul 9.