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A22 SPORTS
Tuesday 4 december 2018
BALLON D’OR season with Modric, before
Continued from Page 17 leaving to join Juventus. He
"The Ballon d'Or was more scored a hat trick against
than just a dream for me Spain at the World Cup but
and it is really an honor and he failed to make an im-
a privilege to hold this tro- pression when Portugal lost
phy." to Uruguay in the round of
Ronaldo was second in the 16.
polling followed by France Mbappe and Griezmann
forward Antoine Griez- scored in the 4-2 World
mann. France's teen star, Cup final win against Cro-
Kylian Mbappe, was fourth. atia. Mbappe earned a
Brazil star Neymar was third domestic treble with Paris
last year but only 12th this Saint-Germain. Griezmann
time. Messi was fifth in the also scored twice for At-
voting, having been runner- letico Madrid in the Europa
up to Ronaldo the past two League final win against
years and in the top three Marseille.
every year since 2007. Mo- France coach Didier De-
dric had never previously schamps said a France
been in the top three. player should have won
"2018 is a dream year for the award.
me," the 33-year-old Mo- "They deserve it because
dric said. "Throughout my of what they did with the Olympique Lyonnais' Ada Hegerberg with the Women's Ballon d'Or, center, poses with Real Ma-
career I realized hard work, national team at the World drid's Luka Modric, with the Ballon d'Or, left, and Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe with the Kopa
persistence and belief in Cup and also because of Trophy, right, during the Golden Ball award ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, Mon-
day, Dec. 3, 2018.
yourself in difficult moments the trophies they won with Associated Press
are the foundations of suc- their clubs," Deschamps
cess." Modric's father was said. tournament-record 15 what she describes as her "authenticity and my
shown on the big screen The 19-year-old Mbappe times last season. a lack of respect for fe- values, as a person, as a
wiping away tears during — the youngest player to "I want to say thanks to male players in Norway, footballer."
the ceremony at the impe- score in a World Cup final France Football. It's a huge she hasn't played for the "A lot of things need to be
rious Grand Palais in Paris. — won the Raymond Kopa step for women's football," national team since 2017 done to make the condi-
Ronaldo missed out on a Trophy awarded to the Hegerberg said. "I want to when it crashed out of the tions better for women who
record sixth award, which best young player. end this speech with a mes- group stage of the Wom- play football," she said. "It's
would have moved him France Football magazine sage to all young girls in en's European Champion- all about how we respect
one ahead of Messi. The has been awarding the the world. Believe in your- ship without scoring a goal. women's football. I don't
last player to win it before Ballon d'Or since 1956, and selves." Speaking in an interview think the respect has been
those two started dominat- created a women's award The outspoken 23-year- shortly before collecting there.
ing world soccer awards for the first time this year. old Hegerberg said she her Ballon d'Or, Heger- "Sometimes you have to
was Brazil midfielder Kaka Hegerberg is a three-time won't play for Norway at berg told The Associated take tough decisions to stay
with AC Milan in 2007. Women's Champions the Women's World Cup in Press on Monday she has true to yourself. I let them
Ronaldo also won the League winner with French France next June. no plans to reconsider her know, quite clearly, what I
Champions League last side Lyon and scored a Taking a stand against decision taken to preserve found wasn't working."q

NHL deals with uncertain

situations on eve of Seattle vote

By STEPHEN WHYNO while, the league would like 2021-22 season, a year af-
AP Hockey Writer to begin making plans for a ter original plans because
SEA ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — The 2020 World Cup of Hockey arena renovations aren't
NHL is dealing with some but has no guarantee of scheduled to be finished
uncertain situations as it labor peace that would al- until the fall of 2020.
prepares to finalize expan- low such a tournament to Bettman says the salary
sion to Seattle. take place. cap is projected to go up
The Ottawa Senators' Commissioner Gary Bett- to roughly $83 million next
downtown arena project is man updated the Board season, up from the current
in danger of falling apart, of Governors on those top- $79.5 million limit. That's a
and Arizona Coyotes own- ics Monday on the eve of sign revenues are continu-
er Andrew Barroway is the vote that's expected to ing to rise after the success
looking for a partner as he award Seattle the league's of the expansion Vegas
tries to secure a long-term 32nd franchise. The team Golden Knights.
home in the desert. Mean- would begin play in the q

In this Oct. 29, 2018, file photo, National Hockey League com-
missioner Gary Bettman speaks during a news conference in
New York.