Real Madrid collect accolade amid Lopetegui's current 'crisis'
With results not going their way, and the team finding goals hard to come by, Los Blancos can take some comfort in their players' global impact.
The list of Ballon d'Or nominees for 2018 has been announced and the number of Real Madrid players has set a new standard for the club, ironically coinciding with a rather low moment for them.
Madrid dominate Ballon d'Or 2018
Out of the 30 names on the shortlist, eight of them play for Julen Lopetegui's side. They are: Courtois - a summer signing from Chelsea - Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, Modric, Isco, Bale and Benzema.
Not since 2011 has there been such a dominant number of stars from one club in France Football's award list. In that year, when there were only 23 players nominated, it was FC Barcelona who stood out with Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Abidal, Dani Alves, Piqué, Messi and Cesc Fabregas (brought in from Arsenal). Their Argentine star took the award, which was then in conjunction with FIFA.
Ballon d'Or nominees from Real Madrid (last 15 editions)
| Year | Real Madrid | No. of nominees |
| 2018 | 8 | 30 |
| 2017 | 7 | 30 |
| 2016 | 6 | 30 |
| 2015 | 5 | 23 |
| 2014 | 6 | 23 |
| 2013 | 2 | 23 |
| 2012 | 6 | 23 |
| 2011 | 4 | 23 |
| 2010 | 4 | 23 |
| 2009 | 4 | 30 |
| 2008 | 5 | 30 |
| 2007 | 6 | 50 |
| 2006 | 2 | 50 |
| 2005 | 6 | 50 |
| 2004 | 4 | 50 |
Chelsea and Juventus starred
Over recent years, with the reduction in the number of candidates from the previous 50, no other team has been able to boast this figure. Within the larger shortlist format, Chelsea did have nine nominees in the 2006 edition, namely: Drogba, Lampard, Terry, Cole, Essien, Makelélé, Robben, Ballack and Shevchenko.
The year before Italian giants Juventus also had nine of their stars in the reckoning: Ibrahimovic, Buffon, Nedved, Comoranesi, Cannavaro, Emerson, Thuram, Trezeguet and Vieira. Ronaldinho and Cannavaro were the two respective winners on those occasions.
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