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Eden Hazard didn't do so well in the 2013 Ballon d'Or voting -- he had, by my count, five third place and one second place -- but not to worry. His teammates made it up to him in amusing fashion, presenting him with an autographed wooden replica of the prestigious trophy:
Yes, Hazard is celebrating his being awarded the Ballon d'Wood (or I guess the Ballon de Bois, if you're feeling French). Presumably this is a play on the old tradition of giving wooden spoons to the lowest passing grade in university examinations; although I don't think Hazard finished dead last in the voting it was a pretty close-run thing.
Fortunately this Chelsea squad is possessed of a sense of humour -- Hazard seems to have taken the award in the spirit it was intended -- and we can all laugh about the voting. But next year, I think, we might see him rising rather sharply in the polls.
