Entertainment Gists
Luka Modric Win 2018 Ballon d’Or Ends Dominance of Cristiano Ronaldo And Lionel Messi

Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric won the 2018 Ballon d’Or, becoming the first player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the award in more than a decade.
Modric, 33, won his third successive Champions League in May before helping Croatia to a first World Cup final.
Former Brazil and AC Milan forward Kaka, in 2007, was the last player other than Messi or Ronaldo to win it.
Ronaldo, who joined Juventus from Real Madrid in the summer, came second.
Barcelona forward Messi finished fifth, with Atletico Madrid frontman Antoine Griezmann and PSG attacker Kylian Mbappe – both of whom won the World Cup with France – third and fourth respectively.
Victory caps a stellar year for Modric, who also was named the world’s top male player at the Best Fifa Football Awards and received the Golden Ball award for the best player at the World Cup.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Modric dedicated the award to all of the other players who have missed out in the 10 years dominated by Messi and Ronaldo.
“Maybe in the past there are some players who could have won the Ballon d’Or like Xavi, Andres Iniesta or [Wesley] Sneijder but people finally now are looking at someone else,” he said.
“This award is for all the players who probably deserved to win it and didn’t. It was a really special year for me.
“It is difficult to express my emotion and how I feel in words. It is something unique for me. It was very special.”
Modric described Ronaldo and Messi as “phenomenal players”, adding: “To win means I did something really special on the pitch this year, that’s why 2017-18 was the year for me.”
Modric was one of eight Real Madrid players in the top 30, including Wales international Gareth Bale in 17th.
Lyon and Norway striker Ada Hegerberg, 23, won the inaugural Women’s Ballon d’Or while Mbappe, 19, became the first winner of the Kopa Trophy – awarded to the best under-21 player and selected by former Ballon d’Or winners.
The top 10
1. Luka Modric (Real Madrid and Croatia)
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus and Portugal)
3. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid and France)
4. Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain and France)
5. Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina)
6. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)
7. Raphael Varane (Real Madrid and France)
8. Eden Hazard (Chelsea and Belgium)
9. Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City and Belgium)
10. Harry Kane (Tottenham and England)
How did Premier League players do?
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who set a record for the most goals in a 38-game English top-flight campaign last season, was the highest-placed Premier League player in sixth.
Chelsea forward Eden Hazard was eighth, followed by Belgium team-mate Kevin de Bruyne, of Manchester City, in ninth.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane, who captained England to the World Cup semi-finals and won the Golden Boot, finished 10th as the only Englishman on the shortlist.
Chelsea and France midfielder N’Golo Kante was 11th, with World Cup-winning team-mate Paul Pogba, of Manchester United, finishing 15th.
Sergio Aguero, a Premier League winner with Manchester City last season, was 16th, while Liverpool’s Champions League finalists Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane were 19th and 22nd respectively.
Brazil goalkeeper Alisson, who joined Liverpool from Roma in the summer, was 25th, with Tottenham and France captain Hugo Lloris 29th.
What is the Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or has been awarded by France Football every year since 1956, with England’s Stanley Matthews the first winner.
It was only for European players until 1995, when it expanded to become open for any player at a European club. From 2007 it opened up to the rest of the world.
The 30-man list of nominees is compiled by the editorial staff of the French magazine, with the winner voted for by journalists from around the world, with one representative per nation.
From 2010 to 2015 it merged with Fifa’s awards, but they split and the world governing body set up its own awards again in 2016.
Entertainment Gists
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits?
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶

Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.
The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.
And the big question now is:
Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂
Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.


One X user joked:
“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”
Another simply said:
“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”
But then came “Lembe.” 🔥
The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.
Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.
And it didn’t stop there.
‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED
On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.
One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.
From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.
Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:
Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥

So, let’s settle this once and for all:
Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?
Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇
Entertainment Gists
RUAN-Badkid.96: The Unfiltered Voice Recommitting African Sound to Truth

RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.
Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.
Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.
For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.
Entertainment Gists
Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype
If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.
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