document_title: FIFA World Cup awards

question_text: who has won the golden boot world cup

question_tokens: who has won the golden boot world cup

text: FIFA World Cup awards

text: Awards[edit]

text: There are currently five post-tournament awards, and one given during the tournament:[1]

text:
the Golden Ball (currently commercially termed "adidas Golden Ball") for best player, first awarded in 1982;
the Golden Boot (currently commercially termed "adidas Golden Boot", previously known as the "adidas Golden Shoe" from 1982 to 2006) for top goal scorer, first awarded in 1982;
the Golden Glove Award (currently commercially termed "adidas Golden Glove"; previously known as the "Lev Yashin Award" from 1994 to 2006) for best goalkeeper, first awarded in 1994;
the Best Young Player (currently commercially termed as "Hyundai Best Young Player") award for best player under 21 years of age at the start of the calendar year, first awarded in 2006;
the FIFA Fair Play Trophy for the team that advanced to the second round with the best record of fair play, first awarded in 1970;
the Man of the Match Award (currently commercially termed as "Budweiser Man of the Match") for outstanding performance during each game of the tournament, first awarded in 2002.

text: Two other awards were given between 1994 and 2006:[2]

text:
The Most Entertaining Team award for the team that has entertained the public the most, during the World Cup final tournament, as determined by a poll of the general public;
An All-Star Team comprising the best players of the tournament chosen  by the technical study group.

text: Golden Ball[edit]

text: The Golden Ball award is presented to the best player at each FIFA World Cup finals, with a shortlist drawn up by the FIFA technical committee and the winner voted for by representatives of the media. Those who finish as runners-up in the vote receive the Silver Ball and Bronze Ball awards as the second and third most outstanding players in the tournament respectively. The current award was introduced in the 1982 FIFA World Cup, sponsored by Adidas and France Football, though fifa.com also lists in their player articles as "golden ball winners" Kempes, Cruyff, Pelé, Bobby Charlton, Garrincha and Didi for 1978, 1974, 1970, 1966, 1962 and 1958 respectively.[3] Barcelona is the only club whose players have won the Golden Ball a record 3 times (Johan Cruyff in 1974, Romário in 1994, Lionel Messi in 2014).[4]

text:
Golden Ball[5]

World Cup

Golden Ball

Silver Ball

Bronze Ball

1930 Uruguay

 José Nasazzi

 Guillermo Stábile

 José Leandro Andrade

1934 Italy

 Giuseppe Meazza

 Matthias Sindelar

 Oldřich Nejedlý

1938 France

 Leônidas

 Silvio Piola

 György Sárosi

1950 Brazil

 Zizinho

 Juan Alberto Schiaffino

 Ademir

1954 Switzerland

 Ferenc Puskás

 Sándor Kocsis

 Fritz Walter

1958 Sweden

 Didi

 Pelé

 Just Fontaine

1962 Chile

 Garrincha

 Josef Masopust

 Leonel Sánchez

1966 England

 Bobby Charlton

 Bobby Moore

 Eusébio

1970 Mexico

 Pelé

 Gérson

 Gerd Müller

1974 West Germany

 Johan Cruyff

 Franz Beckenbauer

 Kazimierz Deyna

1978 Argentina

 Mario Kempes

 Paolo Rossi

 Dirceu

1982 Spain

 Paolo Rossi

 Falcão

 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

1986 Mexico

 Diego Maradona

 Harald Schumacher

 Preben Elkjær Larsen

1990 Italy

 Salvatore Schillaci

 Lothar Matthäus

 Diego Maradona

1994 United States

 Romario

 Roberto Baggio

 Hristo Stoichkov

1998 France

 Ronaldo

 Davor Šuker

 Lilian Thuram

2002 Korea/Japan

 Oliver Kahn

 Ronaldo

 Hong Myung-bo

2006 Germany

 Zinedine Zidane

 Fabio Cannavaro

 Andrea Pirlo

2010 South Africa

 Diego Forlán

 Wesley Sneijder

 David Villa

2014 Brazil

 Lionel Messi

 Thomas Müller

 Arjen Robben

2018 Russia

 Luka Modrić

 Eden Hazard

 Antoine Griezmann

text: Golden Boot[edit]

text: The Golden Boot or Golden Shoe Award goes to the top goalscorer of the FIFA World Cup. While every World Cup had a ranking of the goalscorers, the first time an award was given was in 1982,[6] under the name Golden Shoe.[3] It was rechristened Golden Boot in 2010.[7] FIFA sometimes lists the top goalscorers of previous Cups among the Golden Boot winners.[8]

text: If there is more than one player with the same number of goals, since 1994 the tie-breaker goes to the player without a penalty goal, if none has a penalty then the tie breaker goes to the person with more assists - with the FIFA Technical Study Group deciding whether an assist is to be counted as such.[9][10] If there is still more than one player, the tie-breaker since 2006 goes to the player who has played the least amount of time, which translates to a higher goal average.[11]

text:
Top Goalscorer[12][13]

World Cup

Top goalscorer

Goals

Runners-up

Goals

Third place

Goals

1930 Uruguay

 Guillermo Stábile

8

 Pedro Cea

5

 Bert Patenaude

4

1934 Italy

 Oldřich Nejedlý

5[a]

 Edmund Conen Angelo Schiavio

4

None

—

1938 France

 Leônidas

7[b]

 György Sárosi Gyula Zsengellér Silvio Piola

5

1950 Brazil

 Ademir

8[c]

 Óscar Míguez

 Alcides Ghiggia Chico Estanislau Basora Telmo Zarra

4

1954 Switzerland

 Sándor Kocsis

11

 Josef Hügi Max Morlock Erich Probst

6

None

—

1958 Sweden

 Just Fontaine

13

 Pelé Helmut Rahn

1962 Chile

 Flórián Albert Valentin Ivanov Garrincha Vavá Dražan Jerković Leonel Sánchez

4

None

—

1966 England

 Eusébio

9

 Helmut Haller

6

 Valeriy Porkujan Geoff Hurst Ferenc Bene Franz Beckenbauer

4

1970 Mexico

 Gerd Müller

10

 Jairzinho

7

 Teófilo Cubillas

5

1974 West Germany

 Grzegorz Lato

7

 Andrzej Szarmach Johan Neeskens

5

None

1978 Argentina[17]

 Mario Kempes

6

 Teófilo Cubillas

 Rob Rensenbrink

5

Golden Shoe[8]

World Cup

Golden Shoe

Goals

Silver Shoe

Goals

Bronze Shoe

Goals

1982 Spain

 Paolo Rossi

6

 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

5

 Zico

4

1986 Mexico

 Gary Lineker

 Emilio Butragueño Careca Diego Maradona

None[18]

1990 Italy

 Salvatore Schillaci

 Tomáš Skuhravý

 Roger Milla  Gary Lineker

4

1994 United States

 Oleg Salenko[d] Hristo Stoichkov[e]

None

—

 Kennet Andersson Romário

5[f]

1998 France[20]

 Davor Šuker

 Gabriel Batistuta Christian Vieri

5

None[g]

2002 South Korea/Japan[21]

 Ronaldo

8[h]

 Miroslav Klose Rivaldo

2006 Germany[23]

 Miroslav Klose

5

 Hernán Crespo

3[i]

 Ronaldo

3[i]

Golden Boot[8]

World Cup

Golden Boot

Goals

Silver Boot

Goals

Bronze Boot

Goals

2010 South Africa

 Thomas Müller

5[j]

 David Villa

5[j]

 Wesley Sneijder

5[j]

2014 Brazil

 James Rodríguez

6

 Thomas Müller

5

 Neymar

4[k]

2018 Russia

 Harry Kane

 Antoine Griezmann

4[l]

 Romelu Lukaku

4[l]

Notes

Jump up ^ FIFA initially credited Nejedlý with only four goals, which would make him joint top scorer with Angelo Schiavio of Italy and Edmund Conen of Germany. However, FIFA changed it to five goals in November 2006, making Nejedlý the outright top scorer.[14]

Jump up ^ FIFA initially credited Leônidas with eight goals. However, in November 2006, FIFA confirmed that in the quarter-final tie against Czechoslovakia, he had scored once, not twice as FIFA had originally recorded, meaning he had scored only seven goals in total.[14]

Jump up ^ There was controversy regarding the number of goals Brazilian Ademir had scored in 1950, as a result of incomplete data concerning the Final Round game Brazil vs. Spain (6–1). The 5–0 goal had been credited to Jair, but is now credited to Ademir.[15][16]

Jump up ^ Salenko is the only player to win the award playing for a team that were eliminated in the group stages. His six goals are the only international goals he ever scored.

Jump up ^ Despite the assist tiebreaker, Salenko and Stoichkov remained tied with 6 goals and one assist each, and both received the Golden Shoe.[9]

Jump up ^ Romário and Andersson surpassed the other two players with five goals (Jürgen Klinsmann and Roberto Baggio) by having three assists each.[9][19]

Jump up ^ Both runners-up had the same number of assists, and each received the Silver Shoe.

Jump up ^ During the tournament, after the group stage match against Costa Rica, Ronaldo logged a protest against the crediting of a goal as an own goal, and FIFA granted him the change.[22]

^ Jump up to: a b Eight players had scored three goals. Ronaldo, Crespo and Zinedine Zidane stood out for having one assist, and then the two recipients were determined by less playtime (308 minutes for Crespo, 411 for Ronaldo, 559 for Zidane).[24]

^ Jump up to: a b c Müller, Villa, Sneijder and Diego Forlán tied with five goals. Müller won by virtue of having more assists (3) than the rest (each had one). Villa won the Silver Boot due to playing fewer minutes than Sneijder, and Sneijder won the Bronze Boot due to having played fewer minutes than Forlán.[25]

Jump up ^ Neymar, Lionel Messi and Robin van Persie all had four goals in the tournament. Neymar received the Bronze Boot for playing fewer minutes than his competitors (480; Messi played 693 minutes, and Van Persie, 548).[26]

^ Jump up to: a b Griezmann, Lukaku, Denis Cheryshev, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé tied with 4 goals. Griezmann won the Silver Boot by virtue of having more assists (2) than the rest (Lukaku had one, the rest had zero). Lukaku won the Bronze Boot due to having more assists (one) than Cheryshev, Ronaldo or Mbappé (zero).[27]

text: Golden Glove[edit]

text: The Golden Glove Award is awarded to the best goalkeeper of the tournament. The award was introduced with the name Lev Yashin Award in 1994, in honor of the late Soviet goalkeeper.[6] The FIFA Technical Study Group recognises the top goalkeeper of the tournament based on the player's performance throughout the final competition. Although goalkeepers have this specific award for their position, they are still eligible for the Golden Ball as well, as when Oliver Kahn was awarded in 2002. Although the Golden Glove Award was first awarded in 1994, every All-Star Team in World Cups prior to 1998 except 1990 included only one goalkeeper. In the event of a tie, the Golden Glove Award goes to the goalkeeper who progressed furthest in the competition. The next tiebreakers are saves made, then minutes played.

text:
World Cup

Golden Glove

1930 Uruguay

 Enrique Ballestrero

1934 Italy

 Ricardo Zamora

1938 France

 František Plánička

1950 Brazil

 Roque Máspoli

1954 Switzerland

 Gyula Grosics

1958 Sweden

 Harry Gregg

1962 Chile

 Viliam Schrojf

1966 England

 Gordon Banks

1970 Mexico

 Ladislao Mazurkiewicz

1974 West Germany

 Sepp Maier

1978 Argentina

 Ubaldo Fillol

1982 Spain

 Dino Zoff

1986 Mexico

 Jean-Marie Pfaff

1990 Italy

 Luis Gabelo Conejo Sergio Goycochea

1994 United States

 Michel Preud'homme

1998 France

 Fabien Barthez

2002 Korea/Japan

 Oliver Kahn

2006 Germany

 Gianluigi Buffon

2010 South Africa

 Iker Casillas

2014 Brazil

 Manuel Neuer

2018 Russia

 Thibaut Courtois

text: Best Young Player Award[edit]

text: The Best Young Player award was awarded for the first time at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and given to Germany's Lukas Podolski.[28] The award is given to the best player in the tournament who is at most 21 years old.  For the 2018 World Cup, this meant that the player had to have been born on or after 1 January 1997. The election took place on FIFA's official World Cup website with the help of The FIFA Technical Study Group.[29]

text: FIFA organised a survey on the Internet for users to choose the "best young player" of the World Cup, between 1958 and 2002, named the best young player of each tournament.[30] With 61% of the overall vote, the winner was Pelé, who finished ahead of the Peruvian Teófilo Cubillas, the best young player at Mexico 1970, and England's Michael Owen, who reached similar heights at France 98.[31]

text:
YPA[32]

World Cup

Best Young Player

Age

1958 Sweden

 Pelé

17

1962 Chile

 Flórián Albert

20

1966 England

 Franz Beckenbauer

20

1970 Mexico

 Teófilo Cubillas

21

1974 West Germany

 Władysław Żmuda

20

1978 Argentina

 Antonio Cabrini

1982 Spain

 Manuel Amoros

21

1986 Mexico

 Enzo Scifo

20

1990 Italy

 Robert Prosinečki

21

1994 United States

 Marc Overmars

1998 France

 Michael Owen

18

2002 Korea/Japan

 Landon Donovan

20

2006 Germany

 Lukas Podolski[28]

21

2010 South Africa

 Thomas Müller[33]

20

2014 Brazil

 Paul Pogba[34]

21

2018 Russia

 Kylian Mbappé[35]

19

text: FIFA Fair Play Trophy[edit]

text: The FIFA Fair Play Trophy is given to the team with the best record of fair play during the World Cup final tournament since 1970. Only teams that qualified for the second round are considered. The winners of this award earn the FIFA Fair Play Trophy, a diploma, a fair play medal for each player and official, and $50,000 worth of football equipment to be used for youth development.[36]

text: The appearance of the award was originally a certificate. From 1982 to 1990, it had been a golden trophy based on Sport Billy, a football-playing cartoon character from 1982 who became an icon for FIFA Fair play.[37][38] Ever since 1994, it is simply a trophy with an elegant footballer figure.[39] Peru was the first nation to win the award after receiving no yellow or red cards in the 1970 FIFA World Cup held in Mexico.[40]

text:
World Cup

FIFA Fair Play Trophy Winners

1970 Mexico

 Peru

1974 West Germany

 West Germany

1978 Argentina

 Argentina

1982 Spain

 Brazil

1986 Mexico

 Brazil

1990 Italy

 England

1994 United States

 Brazil

1998 France

 England France

2002 Korea/Japan

 Belgium

2006 Germany

 Brazil Spain

2010 South Africa

 Spain

2014 Brazil

 Colombia

2018 Russia

 Spain

text: Man of the Match[edit]

text: The Man of the Match award picks the outstanding player in every game of the tournament since 2002. While the inaugural two editions were chosen by the technical group,[41][42] the Man of the Match is since 2010 picked by an online poll on FIFA's website.[43][44]

text:
World Cup

Most Man of the Match wins

Wins

2002 South Korea/Japan

 Rivaldo

3

2006 Germany

 Andrea Pirlo

3

2010 South Africa

 Wesley Sneijder

4

2014 Brazil

 Lionel Messi

4

2018 Russia

 Antoine Griezmann Eden Hazard Harry Kane Luka Modrić

3

text: Total awardsAs of 15 July 2018

text:
Rank

Player

Country

MoM

WC with awards

1

Arjen Robben
 Netherlands
6
2006, 2010, 2014

Cristiano Ronaldo
 Portugal
2010, 2014, 2018

Lionel Messi
 Argentina
2010, 2014, 2018

4

Luis Suárez
 Uruguay
5
2010, 2014, 2018

5

Eden Hazard
 Belgium
4
2014, 2018

Keisuke Honda
 Japan
2010, 2014

James Rodríguez
 Colombia
2014, 2018

Miroslav Klose
 Germany
2002, 2006

Park Ji-sung
 South Korea
2002, 2006, 2010

Thomas Müller
 Germany
2010, 2014

Wesley Sneijder
 Netherlands
2010

text: By CountryAs of 15 July 2018

text:
Rank

Country

MoM

Players

1

 Brazil
22
14

 Germany
12

3

 France
17
11

4

 Spain
16
10

5

 Argentina
15
8

6

 England
14
12

7

 Mexico
12
10

 Netherlands
3

9

 South Korea
11
7

 Portugal
6

 United States
7

text: Most Entertaining Team[edit]

text: The FIFA Award for the Most Entertaining Team is a subjectively awarded prize for the team that had done the most to entertain the public with a positive approach to the game, organised through public participation in a poll[6] starting in 1994.[7]

text:
World Cup

Most Entertaining Team Award

1994 United States

 Brazil[23]

1998 France

 France[23]

2002 Korea/Japan

 South Korea[45]

2006 Germany

 Portugal[46]

2010 South Africa

 Germany[47]

2014 Brazil

 Colombia[48]

text: All-Star Team[edit]

text: The All-Star Team is a team of the best performers at the respective World Cup finals. The ways in which the FIFA All-Star team members have been chosen has varied from year to year.  A technical study group consisting of journalists - mostly from Europe and South America - and experts has historically chosen the team.[49] However, in 1994 FIFA decided to add an official squad, chosen by the FIFA technical group and under the brand name MasterCard All-Star Team.[50] For 1998, 2002 and 2006, substitute and reserve members were also nominated for full 22 and 23-player squads. The All-Star team wound up dropped prior to the 2010 tournament - coincidentally, three years after FIFA changed its sponsorship from MasterCard to Visa.[51]

text:
All Star Team

World Cup

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

1930 Uruguay

 Enrique Ballestrero

 José Nasazzi
 Milutin Ivković

 Luis Monti
 Álvaro Gestido
 José Leandro Andrade

 Pedro Cea
 Héctor Castro
 Héctor Scarone
 Guillermo Stábile
 Bert Patenaude

1934 Italy

 Ricardo Zamora

 Jacinto Quincoces
 Eraldo Monzeglio

 Luis Monti
 Attilio Ferraris
 Leonardo Cilaurren

 Giuseppe Meazza
 Raimundo Orsi
 Enrique Guaita
 Matthias Sindelar
 Oldřich Nejedlý

1938 France

 František Plánička

 Pietro Rava
 Alfredo Foni
 Domingos da Guia

 Michele Andreolo
 Ugo Locatelli

 Silvio Piola
 Gino Colaussi
 György Sárosi
 Gyula Zsengellér
 Leônidas

1950 Brazil

 Roque Máspoli

 Erik Nilsson
 José Parra
 Víctor Rodríguez Andrade

 Obdulio Varela
 Bauer
 Alcides Ghiggia
 Jair

 Zizinho
 Ademir
 Juan Alberto Schiaffino

1954 Switzerland

 Gyula Grosics

 Ernst Ocwirk
 Djalma Santos
 José Santamaría

 Fritz Walter
 József Bozsik
 Nándor Hidegkuti
 Zoltán Czibor

 Helmut Rahn
 Ferenc Puskás
 Sándor Kocsis

1958 Sweden

 Harry Gregg

 Djalma Santos
 Bellini
 Nílton Santos

 Danny Blanchflower
 Didi
 Gunnar Gren
 Raymond Kopa

 Pelé
 Garrincha
 Just Fontaine

1962 Chile

 Viliam Schrojf

 Djalma Santos
 Cesare Maldini
 Valery Voronin
 Karl-Heinz Schnellinger

 Mário Zagallo
 Zito
 Josef Masopust

 Vavá
 Garrincha
 Leonel Sánchez

1966 England

 Gordon Banks

 George Cohen
 Bobby Moore
 Vicente
 Silvio Marzolini

 Franz Beckenbauer
 Mário Coluna
 Bobby Charlton

 Flórián Albert
 Uwe Seeler
 Eusébio

1970 Mexico

 Ladislao Mazurkiewicz

 Carlos Alberto
 Atilio Ancheta
 Franz Beckenbauer
 Giacinto Facchetti

 Gérson
 Rivellino
 Bobby Charlton

 Pelé
 Gerd Müller
 Jairzinho

1974 West Germany

 Sepp Maier

 Ruud Krol
 Paul Breitner
 Elias Figueroa[52]
 Franz Beckenbauer
 Berti Vogts

 Wolfgang Overath
 Kazimierz Deyna
 Johan Neeskens

 Rob Rensenbrink
 Johan Cruyff
 Grzegorz Lato

1978 Argentina

 Ubaldo Fillol

 Berti Vogts
 Ruud Krol
 Daniel Passarella
 Alberto Tarantini

 Dirceu
 Teófilo Cubillas
 Rob Rensenbrink

 Roberto Bettega
 Paolo Rossi
 Mario Kempes

1982 Spain

 Dino Zoff

 Luizinho
 Júnior
 Claudio Gentile
 Fulvio Collovati

 Zbigniew Boniek
 Falcão
 Michel Platini
 Zico

 Paolo Rossi
 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

1986 Mexico

 Jean-Marie Pfaff

 Josimar
 Manuel Amoros
 Júlio César

 Jan Ceulemans
 Jean Tigana
 Michel Platini
 Diego Maradona

 Preben Elkjær Larsen
 Emilio Butragueño
 Gary Lineker

1990 Italy

 Sergio Goycochea
 Luis Gabelo Conejo

 Andreas Brehme
 Paolo Maldini
 Franco Baresi

 Diego Maradona
 Lothar Matthäus
 Dragan Stojković
 Paul Gascoigne

 Salvatore Schillaci
 Roger Milla
 Jürgen Klinsmann

text:
MasterCard All Star Team

World Cup

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

1994 United States[50]

 Michel Preud'homme

 Jorginho
 Márcio Santos
 Paolo Maldini

 Dunga
 Krasimir Balakov
 Gheorghe Hagi
 Tomas Brolin

 Romário
 Hristo Stoichkov
 Roberto Baggio

1998 France[53](1)

 Fabien Barthez
 José Luis Chilavert

 Roberto Carlos
 Marcel Desailly
 Lilian Thuram
 Frank de Boer
 Carlos Gamarra

 Dunga
 Rivaldo
 Michael Laudrup
 Zinedine Zidane
 Edgar Davids

 Ronaldo
 Davor Šuker
 Brian Laudrup
 Dennis Bergkamp

2002 Korea/Japan[54](2)

 Oliver Kahn
 Rüştü Reçber

 Roberto Carlos
 Sol Campbell
 Fernando Hierro
 Hong Myung-bo
 Alpay Özalan

 Rivaldo
 Ronaldinho
 Michael Ballack
 Claudio Reyna
 Yoo Sang-chul

 Ronaldo
 Miroslav Klose
 El Hadji Diouf
 Hasan Şaş

2006 Germany[55]

 Gianluigi Buffon
 Jens Lehmann
 Ricardo

 Roberto Ayala
 John Terry
 Lilian Thuram
 Philipp Lahm
 Fabio Cannavaro
 Gianluca Zambrotta
 Ricardo Carvalho

 Zé Roberto
 Patrick Vieira
 Zinedine Zidane
 Michael Ballack
 Andrea Pirlo
 Gennaro Gattuso
 Luís Figo
 Maniche

 Hernán Crespo
 Thierry Henry
 Miroslav Klose
 Luca Toni
 Francesco Totti

text: 1 In addition to the 16 of the All-Star Team, 6 reserves were listed:  Edwin van der Sar,  Juan Sebastián Verón,  Thierry Henry,  Jay-Jay Okocha,  Michael Owen, and  Christian Vieri.[53]

text: 2 Again there were seven reserves:  Iker Casillas,  Cafu,  Dietmar Hamann,  Joaquín,  Hidetoshi Nakata,  Landon Donovan, and  Marc Wilmots.[54]

text: In 2010, an equivalent of the All Star Team was an online poll to FIFA.com Club members named "Dream Team", sponsored by Yingli.[56] The Dream Team poll returned the following edition sponsored by Oi,[57] and again in 2018 sponsored by Hisense.[58]

text:
Dream Team

World Cup

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

Manager

2010 South Africa[56]

 Iker Casillas

 Philipp Lahm  Sergio Ramos  Carles Puyol  Maicon

 Xavi  Bastian Schweinsteiger  Wesley Sneijder  Andrés Iniesta

 David Villa  Diego Forlán

 Vicente del Bosque

2014 Brazil[57]

 Manuel Neuer

 Marcelo Mats Hummels Thiago Silva David Luiz

 Ángel Di María Toni Kroos James Rodríguez

 Lionel Messi Thomas Müller Neymar

 Joachim Löw

2018 Russia[59]

 Thibaut Courtois

 Raphaël Varane  Thiago Silva  Diego Godín  Marcelo

 Luka Modrić  Philippe Coutinho  Kevin De Bruyne

 Kylian Mbappé  Harry Kane  Cristiano Ronaldo

text: While FIFA did not release an official list for 2014, official sponsor Castrol published a team of the tournament based on their Castrol Performance Index, which evaluates players' performances through statistical data.[60]

text:
Castrol Index Top 11

World Cup

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

2014 Brazil[60]

 Manuel Neuer

 Marcos Rojo Mats Hummels Thiago Silva Stefan de Vrij

 Oscar Toni Kroos Philipp Lahm James Rodríguez

 Arjen Robben Thomas Müller

text:
Fantasy McDonald’s Overall XI

World Cup

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

2018 Russia[61]

 Thibaut Courtois

 Andreas Granqvist Raphaël Varane Thiago Silva Yerry Mina

 Denis Cheryshev Philippe Coutinho Luka Modrić

 Harry Kane Eden Hazard Antoine Griezmann

text:
Only two players have been named in three separate All-Star teams whose selection only included the starting eleven: Djalma Santos in 1954, 1958 and 1962, Franz Beckenbauer in 1966, 1970 and 1974. Philipp Lahm also achieved it in 2006, 2010 and 2014. However, the 2006 edition listed 23 players and 2014 had two All-Star team listed. Lahm's name has only been in one of these.
21 players have been named in two separate All-Star teams: Luis Monti (1930 and 1934; representing Argentina and Italy respectively); Garrincha (1958 and 1962); Pelé (1958 and 1970); Bobby Charlton (1966 and 1970); Ruud Krol and Rob Rensenbrink (1974 and 1978); Berti Vogts (1974 and 1978); Paolo Rossi (1978 and 1982); Michel Platini (1982 and 1986); Diego Maradona (1986 and 1990); Paolo Maldini (1990 and 1994); Dunga (1994 and 1998); Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, and Ronaldo (1998 and 2002); Lilian Thuram and Zinedine Zidane (1998 and 2006); Michael Ballack and Miroslav Klose (2002 and 2006); Marcelo and Thiago Silva (2014 and 2018).
Pelé hold the record of the longest time between being named in two separate All-Star teams by 12 years apart (1958 and 1970).
Uruguay in 1930 and 1950,  Spain in 2010 and Germany in 2014 are the only teams to have had a player in every position on the All-Star Team. Germany and Italy achieved it in 2006, however, the 2006 edition listed 23 players.
Uruguay in 1930 and Italy in 2006 have the most players selected in the All-Star Team with 7 players each. However, the 1930 selection only had 11 players overall, while the 2006 selection had 23.
37 different Brazilian players have been named in All-Star teams, Brazil is also the nation with most nominations with 44 nominees in every position except goalkeeper.
Only two Asian players have been named in All-Star teams, Hong Myung-bo and Yoo Sang-chul of South Korea. Another Asian player Hidetoshi Nakata has been named in reserves. All three players were selected in 2002.
Similarly, only two African players have been named in All-Star teams, Roger Milla from Cameroon in 1990 and El Hadji Diouf from Senegal in 2002.
Only one player on the victorious 1986 Argentina team, Diego Maradona, was selected in that year's All-Star team.
Uniquely, brothers Brian Laudrup and Michael Laudrup were both selected for the All Star Team from Denmark in 1998.
Similarly, Cesare Maldini and Paolo Maldini are the only father and son players that were both selected for the All Star Team from Italy, in 1962 and 1990, 1994 respectively.
Uniquely, Argentinian compatriots Diego Maradona (1979 and 1986) and Lionel Messi (2005 and 2014) are the only players that won the Golden Ball award at both FIFA World Cup and FIFA World Youth Championship.

text: Goal of the Tournament[edit]

text:
World Cup

Player

Scored against

Source

2006 Germany

 Maxi Rodríguez

 Mexico

[62]

2010 South Africa

 Diego Forlán

 Germany

2014 Brazil

 James Rodríguez

 Uruguay

2018 Russia

 Benjamin Pavard

 Argentina


document_title: The Phantom of the Opera (2004 film)

question_text: when did phantom of the opera movie come out

root

text: The Phantom of the Opera (2004 film)

text: Plot[edit]

text: In 1919, the Opéra Populaire holds a public auction to clear the theatre's vaults. Raoul, Viscount de Chagny purchases a papier-mâché music box in the shape of a monkey and eyes it sadly as Madame Giry, an aged woman dressed in black, watches him. The auctioneer then presents a shattered chandelier as the next item up for bid, explaining that it once played a key role in "the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera". As it flickers to life and slowly ascends to its original place in the rafters, the audience is transported back in time to the year 1870.

tag: p

text: Back to this time, while the company rehearses for a performance of the grand opera Hannibal, manager Monsieur Lefèvre announces that he has decided to retire and that the opera has been purchased by Richard Firmin and Gilles André, two men who have no experience with the arts whatsoever. When resident soprano Carlotta Giudicelli begins to sing for the managers, a backdrop collapses and causes everyone to blame the "Opera Ghost", a mysterious figure who is rumored to live in the catacombs beneath the theater. Carlotta refuses to sing and storms offstage, leaving Firmin and André no choice but to cancel the performance. At the last minute, ballet mistress Madame Giry suggests that dancer Christine Daaé take Carlotta's place as she has been "well taught." The managers reluctantly agree and, to their surprise, Christine wins them over.

text: Later that night, after Christine's triumphant stage debut, she explains to Madame Giry's daughter, Meg, that she is being coached by a mysterious tutor who she refers to as the "Angel of Music"; a tutor who her late father said would teach her to sing. Christine returns to her dressing room to find Raoul, the opera's new patron and her former childhood sweetheart, waiting for her. The two reminisce about their youth as Christine tells Raoul her secret, only for him to laugh at her "fantasy" and invite her to dinner despite her protests. Unbeknownst to everyone, except Madame Giry, the Phantom of the Opera locks Christine in her dressing room and reveals himself in her mirror to her before hypnotizing her and taking her to his subterranean lair.

text: The Phantom reveals to her that he loves her and wants her to love him back. He shows Christine a bust of herself, wearing a wedding dress and veil, causing her to faint, and the Phantom places her in a bed. The next morning she awakes to find the Phantom writing music. She approaches him and removes his mask out of curiosity. He bursts into a fit of rage, covering his face with his hand. He at first says she must stay forever because she saw his deformities, revealing that he "dreams of beauty". Pitying him Christine hands him back his mask and the two have a moment of understanding. He then decides to return her to the opera house.

text: That morning, the two managers lament Christine's disappearance, as well as series of notes they received from the Opera Ghost trying to blackmail them for his payment and ordering them on how to run the opera house. When Carlotta returns, she is furious to find a note sent to her saying if she sang as the countess in Il Muto that night instead of Christine, then disaster "beyond [their] imagination" would occur. Firmin and André ignore the ghost's warnings and give Carlotta the lead role. That night, the Phantom interrupts the performance and criticizes their failure to follow his orders.

text: Carlotta continues to sing, but her voice croaks (as a result of the Phantom tampering with her throat spray) and the lead role is given to Christine. While the ballet is being performed, the Phantom encounters the chief stagehand Joseph Buquet and strangles him before hanging him from above, creating chaos. Christine flees to the roof with Raoul. She reveals to him that she has seen the Phantom's face and fears him, but also pities him because of his sadness. Raoul tells Christine he loves her and will protect her forevermore. Christine returns his love, kissing him passionately and they both leave the roof. The Phantom, who witnessed the scene, becomes heartbroken. He then hears them both singing together. Growing furious at Raoul, he vows revenge on them both.

text: Three months later, a masquerade party ensues in the opera house. At the party, Christine wears her new engagement ring from Raoul. The event is interrupted once again by the Phantom, who is dressed as Red Death. The Phantom brings his own composition, Don Juan Triumphant, and orders the managers to stage the opera. Raoul exits the room and Christine approaches the Phantom. At the sight of the engagement ring, the Phantom rips it from Christine and disappears into a trap on the floor. Raoul tries to follow him but is stopped by Madame Giry, who privately tells him the story of the Phantom's past. When she was a little girl, she went to a freak circus where they featured a deformed child in a cage. The child was beaten while everyone watched and laughed. The ringmaster then removed a burlap sack covering the child's face, revealing his deformity. Only the young Madame Giry pitied him. She was the last to leave and saw the child strangle the ringmaster with a rope. Chased by the police, Madame Giry helped him escape and found shelter for him beneath the opera house, where she has hidden him from the world ever since.

text: Christine takes a carriage to visit her father's grave, but the Phantom secretly takes over the reins. Raoul follows when he realizes she's gone. Christine arrives and laments over her father's death. The Phantom tries to win her back by pretending to be her father's angel, but Raoul arrives and stops him. A sword fight ensues in the cemetery, where Raoul eventually disarms the Phantom and is about to kill him, but Christine pleads for him not to. His rage seemingly augmented, the Phantom watches angrily as Christine and Raoul ride away.

text: Christine admits she is afraid of the Phantom and tells Raoul he will never stop trying to recapture her. Raoul realizes that they can use the Phantom's opera to capture him, as he will surely attend. Don Juan Triumphant is performed, and the Phantom makes his entrance (having secretly replaced the lead) with Christine. Raoul can do nothing but watch from his box as Christine falls for the Phantom yet again. However, she once again removes his mask, revealing his deformities to the entire audience, who scream in fear. He escapes with her by dropping the chandelier and setting the opera house on fire.

text: The Phantom brings Christine back down to his lair. Madame Giry shows Raoul where the Phantom lives, and he goes to rescue Christine. The Phantom forces Christine to don the wedding dress and once again professes his love, and orders Christine to marry him. Christine tries to convince the Phantom that she does not fear his ugliness, but rather his anger and willingness to kill to get what he wants. Just then, Raoul enters the lair, and the Phantom ties him to a gate and threatens to kill him if Christine refuses to marry him. Christine reflects over the impossible choice before passionately kissing the Phantom to show him he is not alone in the world. The Phantom is shocked from experiencing real human love for the first time in his life. Ashamed of his murderous actions, he allows Christine and Raoul to leave and orders them to never return. He finds comfort in a little monkey music box. Christine approaches the Phantom, who tells her that he loves her, and she silently gives him the diamond ring from her finger to remember her by. After Christine and Raoul leave, the Phantom smashes every mirror in his underground lair and disappears through a secret passage behind a velvet curtain just before the police arrive. Upon entering, Meg finds only the Phantom's white mask.

text: Moving back to 1919, the elderly Raoul visits Christine's gravesite and places the music box near her tombstone. He stands in silence for a moment and then turns to leave, but stops upon noticing a red rose with a black ribbon tied around the stem lying on the ground with Christine's engagement ring attached to it; implying that the Phantom still lives and still loves Christine.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Gerard Butler as The Phantom
Emmy Rossum as Christine Daaé
Patrick Wilson as Viscount Raoul de Chagny
Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry
Minnie Driver as Carlotta Giudicelli

Margaret Preece as Carlotta's singing voice

Simon Callow as Gilles André
Ciarán Hinds as Richard Firmin
Victor McGuire as Ubaldo Piangi
Jennifer Ellison as Meg Giry
Murray Melvin as Monsieur Reyer
Kevin McNally as Joseph Buquet
James Fleet as Monsieur Lefèvre
Ramin Karimloo as Gustave Daaé

tag: ul

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: Warner Bros. purchased the film rights to The Phantom of the Opera in early 1989, granting Andrew Lloyd Webber total artistic control.[3] Despite interest from A-list directors, Lloyd Webber and Warner Bros. instantly hired Joel Schumacher to direct; Lloyd Webber had been impressed with Schumacher's use of music in The Lost Boys.[4] The duo wrote the screenplay that same year,[5] while Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman were cast to reprise their roles from the original stage production. Filming was set to begin at Pinewood Studios in England in July 1990, under a $25 million budget.[6]

text: However, the start date was pushed to November 1990 at both Babelsberg Studios in Munich, Germany and Barrandov Studios in Prague, Czech Republic.[7] Production for The Phantom of the Opera was stalled with Lloyd Webber and Brightman's divorce.[8] "Everything got tied up in settlements", Schumacher reflected. "Then my career took off and I was really busy."[9] As a result, The Phantom of the Opera languished in development limbo for Warner Bros. throughout the 1990s.[10] In February 1997, Schumacher considered returning, but eventually dropped out in favour of Batman Unchained, Runaway Jury and Dreamgirls.[11] The studio was keen to cast John Travolta for the lead role,[12] but also held discussions with Antonio Banderas, who undertook vocal preparation and sang the role of the Phantom in the TV special Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration.[13]

text: Schumacher and Lloyd Webber restarted development for The Phantom of the Opera in December 2002.[5] It was then announced in January 2003 that Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group had purchased the film rights from Warner Bros. in an attempt to produce The Phantom of the Opera independently.[13] As a result, Lloyd Webber invested $6 million of his own money.[14] The Phantom of the Opera was produced on a $55 million budget. A further $15 million was used for marketing, bringing the final budget to $70 million.[2] Warner Bros. was given a first look deal for distribution; the studio did not sign on until June 2003, when the principal cast was chosen.[15]

text: Casting[edit]

text: Hugh Jackman was offered the chance to audition for the Phantom, but he faced scheduling conflicts with Van Helsing. "They rang to ask about my availability", Jackman explained in an April 2003 interview, "probably about 20 other actors as well. I wasn't available, unfortunately. So, that was a bummer."[16] "We needed somebody who has a bit of rock and roll sensibility in him", Andrew Lloyd Webber explained. "He's got to be a bit rough, a bit dangerous; not a conventional singer. Christine is attracted to the Phantom because he's the right side of danger."[5] Director Joel Schumacher had been impressed with Gerard Butler's performance in Dracula 2000.[17] Prior to his audition, Butler had no professional singing experience and had only taken four voice lessons before singing "The Music of the Night" for Lloyd Webber.[3]

text: Katie Holmes, who began working with a vocal coach, was the front-runner for Christine Daaé in March 2003.[18] She was later replaced by Anne Hathaway, a classically trained soprano, in 2004. However, Hathaway dropped out of the role because the production schedule of the film overlapped with The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, which she was contractually obligated to make.[19] Hathaway was then replaced with Emmy Rossum. The actress modeled the relationship between the Phantom and Christine after Suzanne Farrell and George Balanchine.[14] Patrick Wilson was cast as Raoul based on his previous Broadway theatre career. For the role of Carlotta, Minnie Driver devised an over-the-top, camp performance as the egotistical prima donna. Despite also lacking singing experience, Ciarán Hinds was cast by Schumacher as Richard Firmin; the two had previously worked together on Veronica Guerin.[4] Ramin Karimloo also briefly appears as the portrait of Gustave Daaé, Christine's father. Karimloo later played the Phantom as well as the role of Raoul on London's West End.

text: Filming[edit]

text: Principal photography lasted from 15 September 2003 to 15 January 2004. The film was shot entirely using eight sound stages at Pinewood Studios,[20] where, on the Pinewood backlot, the bottom half exterior of the Palais Garnier was constructed. The top half was implemented using a combination of computer-generated imagery (CGI) and a scale model created by Cinesite. The surrounding Paris skyline for "All I Ask of You" was entirely composed of matte paintings.[4] Cinesite also created a miniature falling chandelier, since a life-size model was too big for the actual set.[21]

text: Production designer Anthony D. G. Pratt was influenced by French architect Charles Garnier, designer of the original Paris opera house, as well as Edgar Degas, John Singer Sargent, Gustave Caillebotte, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Schumacher was inspired by Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast (1946), where a hallway is lined with arms holding candelabra. The cemetery was based on the Père Lachaise and Montparnasse.[22] Costume designer Alexandra Byrne utilised a limited black, white, gold and silver colour palette for the Masquerade ball.[4]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Release and awards[edit]

text: The Phantom of the Opera was released in the United States on 22 December 2004. With a limited release of 622 theaters, it opened at tenth place at the weekend box office, grossing $6.5 million across five days.[23] After expanding to 907 screens on 14 January 2005[24] the film obtained the 9th spot at the box office,[25] which it retained during its 1,511 screens wide release on 21 January 2005.[26][27] The total domestic gross was $51,225,796. With a further $107 million earned internationally, The Phantom of the Opera reached a worldwide total of $158,225,796.[2] A few foreign markets were particularly successful,[28] such as Japan, where the film's ¥4.20 billion ($35 million) gross stood as the 6th most successful foreign film and 9th overall of the year.[29][30] The United Kingdom and South Korea both had over $10 million in receipts, with $17.5 million and $11.9 million, respectively.[2][31]

text: Anthony Pratt and Celia Bobak were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, as was John Mathieson for Cinematography. However, both categories were awarded to The Aviator. Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Charles Hart were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song ("Learn to Be Lonely") but lost to "Al otro lado del río" from The Motorcycle Diaries.[32] The song was also nominated for the Golden Globe but it lost to Alfie's "Old Habits Die Hard". In the same ceremony, Emmy Rossum was nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, losing to Annette Bening in Being Julia.[33] At the Saturn Awards, Rossum won for Best Performance by a Younger Actor,[34] while The Phantom of the Opera was nominated for Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film and Alexandra Byrne was nominated for Costume Design.[35]

text: The soundtrack of the film was released in two separate CD formats on 23 November 2004 as a two-disc deluxe edition which includes dialogue from the film and a single-disc highlights edition.

text: The film had its initial North America video release on DVD and VHS on 3 May 2005, following its first digital release on HD-DVD on 18 April 2006 and a Blu-ray edition on 31 October 2006.

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: The film received mixed to negative reviews from film critics. Rotten Tomatoes gives it 32% rotten with an average score of 5/10. "The music of the night has hit something of a sour note: Critics are calling the screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's popular musical histrionic, boring and lacking in both romance and danger", the consensus read. "Still, some have praised the film for its sheer spectacle".[36] By comparison, Metacritic calculated an average score of 40/100 from its 39 reviews collected.[37]

text:
"The film looks and sounds fabulous and I think it's an extraordinarily fine document of the stage show. While it doesn't deviate much from the stage material, the film has given it an even deeper emotional centre. It's not based on the theatre visually or direction-wise, but it's still got exactly the same essence. And that's all I could have ever hoped for."

— Andrew Lloyd Webber[5]

tag: table

text: Despite having been impressed with the cast, Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader wrote that "Teen romance and operetta-style singing replace the horror elements familiar to film-goers, and director Joel Schumacher obscures any remnants of classy stage spectacle with the same disco overkill he brought to Batman Forever."[38] Stephanie Zacharek of Salon.com believed that Phantom of the Opera "takes everything that's wrong with Broadway and puts it on the big screen in a gaudy splat."[39]

text: In a mixed review for Newsweek, David Ansen praised Rossum's performance, but criticized the filmmakers for their focus on visual design rather than presenting a cohesive storyline. "Its kitschy romanticism bored me on Broadway and it bores me here—I may not be the most reliable witness. Still, I can easily imagine a more dashing, charismatic Phantom than Butler's. Rest assured, however, Lloyd Webber's neo-Puccinian songs are reprised and reprised and reprised until you're guaranteed to go out humming."[40] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly believed Schumacher did not add enough dimension in adapting The Phantom of the Opera. "Schumacher, the man who added nipples to Batman's suit, has staged Phantom chastely, as if his job were to adhere the audience to every note".[41]

text: Roger Ebert reasoned that "part of the pleasure of movie-going is pure spectacle—of just sitting there and looking at great stuff and knowing it looks terrific. There wasn't much Schumacher could have done with the story or the music he was handed, but in the areas over which he held sway, he has triumphed."[42] In contrasting between the popularity of the Broadway musical, Michael Dequina of Film Threat magazine explained that "it conjures up this unexplainable spell that leaves audiences sad, sentimental, swooning, smiling—in some way transported and moved. Now, in Schumacher's film, that spell lives on."[43]


document_title: Red Velvet (band)

question_text: red velvet level up season 2 how many episodes

text: Red Velvet (band)

text: History[edit]

text: Pre-debut[edit]

text: Seulgi was the first member to be cast as an SM Entertainment trainee through an audition in 2007, while Irene was cast in 2009, and Yeri in 2011. In 2012, Wendy and Joy were cast through the S.M. Global Auditions in Canada and Seoul respectively.[9] Irene, Seulgi and Wendy were introduced initially to the public through the agency's pre-debut team SM Rookies in 2013 and 2014, and they were rumored to debut as a group in July, which was then confirmed by S.M. Entertainment.[10][11][12] With the addition of member Joy, the four-member group would debut as Red Velvet, S.M. Entertainment's first girl group in five years since f(x).[13]

text: 2014–2015: Debut, new member Yeri, Ice Cream Cake and The Red[edit]

text: On August 1, 2014, Red Velvet made their official debut stage on the music program Music Bank.[14] Their debut single, "Happiness", was digitally released on August 4.[15] The song was penned by Yoo Young-jin and composed by Will Simms, Chad Hugo (The Neptunes), Chris Holsten, and Anne Judith Wik (Dsign Music). It was described as an urban Europop song with a strong synth sound and an African tribal beat.[16] The original music video for "Happiness" gained more than 2 million views on YouTube in its first 24 hours of release before being removed due to controversy over problematic background images and replaced with an edited version. "Happiness" was the second-most viewed K-pop music video worldwide for the month of August.[17]

text: Red Velvet released their second digital single "Be Natural" and its music video on October 13, 2014.[18] The song, which includes a rap verse by NCT member Taeyong, is a remake of the 2000 song by S.E.S., S.M. Entertainment's first girl group.[19] The music video for the song was directed by Kwon Soon-wook and Shim Jae-won, choreographed by Kyle Hanagami, and features original choreography seen in a pre-debut teaser of Irene and Seulgi, which they performed as part of SM Rookies.[20][21] The group started their promotions on October 9, making their first appearance on the music program, M Countdown.[22] The song peaked at number 33 on the Gaon Digital Chart and at number 6 on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart.[23][24]

text: On March 11, 2015, former S.M. Rookies member Yeri was officially announced as part of the group.[25] On March 15, the group's first mini-album Ice Cream Cake was released.[26] The group promoted with double lead singles "Automatic" and "Ice Cream Cake" for which the music videos were released on March 14 and 15.[27] On March 19, the group held their album showcase on Ice Cream TV, a program streamed through Naver Music and hosted by Shinee's Minho.[28] On March 27, they won their first music show trophy on KBS's Music Bank. The album went on to become the best selling album by a girl group in South Korea for the first half of 2015 on the Hanteo Chart.[29] In August 2015, Red Velvet held their first U.S. performance during the annual KCON convention and music festival in Los Angeles, California.[30]

text: Red Velvet's first full-length album, The Red, was released on September 9, 2015, with a total of ten tracks including the lead single "Dumb Dumb".[31] The album was an immediate success which was received positively by critics: Billboard's Jeff Benjamin called The Red "an impressive, solid debut album", stating that it "indicates big things for the act that needs to follow in the footsteps of their beloved female label mates Girls' Generation and f(x)."[32] The Red debuted at #1 on Billboard's World Albums Chart and South Korea's Gaon Album Chart,[33] and also appeared in Billboard's list of the "10 Best K-Pop Albums of 2015", which described the album as "one of the year's most enjoyable and experimental pop LPs."[34] "Dumb Dumb" peaked at number three on Billboard World Digital Songs chart, making it the best-selling K-pop song in America of the week. The single also topped the list of the "Top 20 K-pop Tracks of 2015" by Dazed, which stated that the group has "surpassed their idol competitors" and "marked a monumental, career-crowning musical tornado".[35] The music video for "Dumb Dumb" was included as the only non-English language entry in Rolling Stone's "10 Best Music Videos of 2015".[36] On December 18, the group took part in S.M. Entertainment's special winter project Winter Garden, alongside label-mates f(x) and BoA, releasing a digital single titled "Wish Tree".[37][38]

text: 2016: The Velvet and Russian Roulette[edit]

text: Red Velvet's second mini album The Velvet was intended to be released on March 16, 2016, but ten minutes before its scheduled release, S.M. Entertainment announced that the music video and album's release would be delayed "to guarantee a high quality of work".[39] The album and its title track "One of These Nights" (Korean title: 7월 7일) was released on March 17.[40] The album showcases the smooth R&B-influenced "velvet" side of the group's concept and is a direct follow-up album to The Red, which highlighted the group's bright and bold "red" persona.[41]

text: In May, various news sites in South Korea reported that the group was preparing to release a summer album. Despite this, it was postponed several times but the group eventually released their third extended play Russian Roulette on September 7.[42][43] The album contains seven tracks, with the lead single titled "Russian Roulette".[44] On September 13, 2016, Red Velvet took their first music show win for Russian Roulette on The Show.[45] The title track peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart and Billboard's World Digital Songs chart, making it their highest rankings on both charts at the time.[46][47]

text: 2017: Rookie, The Red Summer, first solo concert and Perfect Velvet[edit]

text: On February 1, 2017, Red Velvet released their fourth mini album, Rookie.[48] The EP contains six tracks including the title track "Rookie", and a solo track by Wendy entitled "Last Love" (마지막 사랑). The album topped the Weekly Gaon Album Chart as well as the Billboard World Albums Chart.[49] The group took their first music show win for "Rookie" on The Show on February 7, followed by wins on Show Champion, M Countdown, Music Bank, and Inkigayo.[50][51][52] On March 31, the group released the first single for SM Station 2, titled "Would U".[53] For further promotions, from July 27 to September 10, Red Velvet starred in their first reality television program, Level Up Project which showed footage of the girls' trip to Thailand. It lasted for 23 episodes and was filmed without member Joy who was busy at the time shooting the drama The Liar and His Lover where she was the female lead.[54]

text: On July 9, Red Velvet released their fifth EP The Red Summer with the title track "Red Flavor" (빨간 맛),[55] which marked their first summer release.[56] The EP was a commercial success, again topping the Gaon Album Chart and the Billboard World Albums Chart. This was their third #1 release and set the record for most #1 albums on the chart by a K-pop girl group.[3] Additionally, "Red Flavor" debuted atop the Gaon Digital Chart and Gaon Download Chart with the other four songs also charting in the Top 50 of the Digital Chart.[57]

text: Between August 18–20, the group held their first solo concert titled "Red Room" to an audience of 11,000. Although it was initially planned to be a two-day concert, another date was added due to demand.[58]

text: On October 4, SM Entertainment announced through their Japanese website that the group would have their first showcase in Japan.[59] "Red Velvet Premium Showcase F'U'N Room Reveluv-Baby Party" took place at the Yebisu The Garden Hall in Tokyo on November 6.[60] There, they performed the Japanese versions of their Korean songs "Dumb Dumb" and "Red Flavor" for the first time.[61] After wrapping up the showcase, it was officially announced that Red Velvet's concert "Red Room" would be taken to Japan in 2018. It is planned to take place in March 28 and 29 at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza, a 10,000-seat capacity venue that will later be used for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[62]

text: Red Velvet revisited their "velvet" image by releasing their second full-length album Perfect Velvet on November 17 with the lead single "Peek-a-Boo".[63] Unlike their first "velvet" release, the album and single were both commercially successful.[64] The album peaked atop Billboard's World Album Chart. "Peek-a-Boo" peaked at #2 on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart, tying with their 2016 single "Russian Roulette".[4] In South Korea, the album and the single "Peek-a-Boo" both charted at #2 on the Gaon Album Chart and Gaon Digital Chart.[65][66] Through the release of Rookie, The Red Summer and Perfect Velvet all in the same year, along with the popularity of the single "Red Flavor" (which according to Jung Ji-won of Osen best represents the year of 2017), and the success of their albums overseas, Red Velvet achieved a "top girl group" status in South Korea, which was cemented further when Perfect Velvet sold over 100,000 copies and "Peek-A-Boo" won on the music program Inkigayo on their last day of promotions for the song, proving its longevity on the charts.[67][68]

text: 2018: The Perfect Red Velvet and Cookie Jar[edit]

text: The group released their first repackaged album, The Perfect Red Velvet, on January 29, 2018. This included three new tracks in addition to all the songs from Perfect Velvet, with the single "Bad Boy" promoted as its title track.[69]

text: The album topped the Gaon Album Chart upon its release while "Bad Boy" debuted at #1 on Gaon's Download Chart and at #2 on the Gaon Digital Chart.[70] The Perfect Red Velvet also charted at #3 on Billboard's World Albums chart while "Bad Boy" debuted at #2 on its World Digital Songs chart. Red Velvet also entered the Top 10 of Billboard's Social 50 chart for the first time, charting at number nine.[71] The album also marked the first time the group has appeared on the Canadian Hot 100 and charted at number 87, becoming only the seventh K-pop artist and the third female act to appear on the chart.[72] Red Velvet promoted the song on various South Korean music shows, earning their first music show win for "Bad Boy" on February 8 on Show Champion.[73]

text: On March 20, 2018, it was announced that Red Velvet would be performing alongside other selected South Korean artists for an inter-Korean concert in Pyongyang, North Korea. This makes them the first artist from SM Entertainment in fifteen years since Shinhwa to perform in North Korea.[74] On March 30, the group announced that they will be officially debuting in Japan in July with the release of a song.[75]

text: On April 29, 2018, Red Velvet held their first fan meeting in Chicago, to an audience of 4,000.[76] The event was held at Rosemont Theater, and also, notably, the first solo performance from a female K-pop group in the country since 2016.[77] On May 23, it was revealed that the Japan debut album will be called Cookie Jar. It will be released on July 4, 2018, and will include three new songs and the japanese versions of "Dumb Dumb", "Russian Roulette" and "Red Flavor".[78]

text: Artistry[edit]

text: Red Velvet is known for their dual concept which has never been seen before among South Korean girl groups. These two concepts are dubbed their "red" and "velvet" sides which influences both their image and the music they release. The "red" half is their brighter and bubblier side while their "velvet" image is their softer, more mature and elegant concept.[79][80][81][82]

text:
"Red Flavor"

"Red Flavor" is an electropop song with dramatic synths and a percussive melody.[83]

"Automatic"

"Automatic" is a contemporary R&B song.[84]

Problems playing these files? See media help.

text: Their music falls under two themes which corresponds to their two concepts. Because the "red" side is more youthful, it is predominantly pop, while their sophisticated "velvet" side heavily features the R&B and ballad genres.[85] Both sides aren't limited to these genres, however. KookMin Ilbo noted that their music isn't as simple as being "dance" vs. "ballad" and are often mixed with other elements.[86] Their debut single "Happiness" which was considered as their first song under the "red" concept, is an urban europop song fused with an intense synth sound and an African music beat. Their second single "Be Natural" saw a completely different image of the group and is described as classic R&B, which embodies their "velvet" side.[87][88]

text:
If you listen to our side tracks, you can tell they're all different. We wanted to show we are capable of variety in our vocal skills. I don't want to choose just one genre. I want to say that Red Velvet is a group that is capable of doing diverse concepts.

—Member Joy, at a showcase for Perfect Velvet[89]

tag: div

text: Their first extended play Ice Cream Cake presented their dual concept for the first time, and they promoted with two singles, the R&B/neo-soul "Automatic" and the dance-pop song "Ice Cream Cake". The music videos of each song showed the contrast between the two concepts as "Ice Cream Cake"'s had a colorful, playful setting with a fast-paced choreography while the "Automatic" music video had a darker theme and more sensual dance. Billboard's Jeff Benjamin stated that the album "did a good job at establishing the two sides of their musical identity".[90][91] Their first studio album The Red which focuses solely on the "red" side of their music was followed up by the EP The Velvet, focusing on their "velvet" songs as the title suggests. The group's first summer album titled The Red Summer with the lead single "Red Flavor", once again focused on their "red" concept, after two releases (Russian Roulette, Rookie) without separating the two. The tracks from their second studio album Perfect Velvet were still considered as part of the "velvet" side of their music but with hints of 'Red', which their company believed is the perfect formula for the concept, hence the title.[92] While The Velvet was still a commercial success, it was one of the group's least successful single and album. Critics claimed that the release of the EP was a crucial step to introduce the "velvet" side to the public, but ultimately it was Perfect Velvet that allowed it to gain recognition.[64] The album, which incorporates not only R&B tracks and ballads as was expected from their "velvet" concept, also features dance-pop, electronic pop, disco and even elements of hip-hop. Upon its release, the group was praised for their versatility and it was hailed as one of the most diverse albums by a K-pop artist.[93]

text: This dual image also affects the members' styling. For their "red" concept, they are usually dressed in colorful, girlish clothing, such as the pastel sweaters and skirts from "Ice Cream Cake" or the red doll outfits from "Dumb Dumb".[94][95] On the other hand, they are dressed more maturely for their "velvet" side, most notably, when the girls wore suits for "Be Natural". The group has been compared to their S.M. Entertainment seniors, Girls' Generation and f(x), with a consensus that while Girls' Generation in their early years released the standard bubblegum pop with a feminine image expected from most girl groups and f(x) is recognized for their electropop-based music and experimental style, Red Velvet is seen as a combination of the two, but still on a class of their own. Paul Bowler of uDiscover Music remarked that the group was "designed to combine the sophistication of f(x) with the effervescence of Girls' Generation".[96] Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum of Idolator also commented that "If Girls' Generation is the eldest sister who is classy and square, and f(x) is the cool, alternative middle sister, Red Velvet is the youngest one who steals the middle sister's clothes, acts like the eldest, but is still a bit weird."[97]

text: Red Velvet has been lauded for breaking stereotypes among popular girl groups in South Korea whose concepts tend to fall under two categories which are "cute or pure" and "sexy", often to fulfill a certain fantasy. In a country where girl groups' fanbases are typically mostly male, according to Taylor Glasby of Dazed Digital, the majority of Red Velvet's fans are young women and commented that "They're neither sexy nor innocent, with music videos that are often dark, trippy, sinister, or haunting, even when they're flooded in pastel colours".[98][99] In 2017, IZE Magazine named the group as one of the successful female figures who helped transform the "passive image" of South Korean women at a time when feminism had risen as an issue in the country.[100] The group's music also sets them apart from other K-pop artists. K-pop idols in general suffer from a prejudice that they aren't considered "real artists" by music critics in their native country. Because of the group's diverse musical inspirations and styles, they claimed that Red Velvet has pushed the boundaries of "idol music".[101]

text: Impact[edit]

text: In February 2018, Time magazine named Red Velvet as one of the best K-pop groups, highlighting their versatile musical styles.[102] Red Velvet was recognized for their brand recognition and marketing power, having topped 'Girl Group Brand Power Ranking' published by the Korean Corporate Reputation Research Institute for three consecutive months.[103]

text: Red Velvet performed in Pyongyang on April, 1 2018. This made them the fifth idol group to ever perform in North Korea.[104][105] They performed "Red Flavor" and "Bad Boy" at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre to an audience including Kim Jong-un. The concert was billed as "Spring is Coming" and is part of a wider diplomatic initiative between South Korea and North Korea.[106][107]

text: Members[edit]

text:
Irene (아이린)
Seulgi (슬기)
Wendy (웬디)
Joy (조이)
Yeri (예리)

text: Discography[edit]

text:
The Red (2015)
Perfect Velvet (2017)

text: Filmography[edit]

text: Reality show[edit]

text:
Year
Title
Network
No. of Episodes
Note
Ref.

2017
Level Up Project!
Oksusu
KBS Joy
True ID (Thailand)
23
Joy didn't appear in this show due to her schedule for drama The Liar and His Lover.
[108]

2018
Level Up Project! Season 2
Oksusu
XtvN
True ID
60

text: Film[edit]

text:
Year
Title
Role
Note
Ref.

2015
SMTown: The Stage
Themselves
Biographical film
[109]

text: Concerts[edit]

text: Headlining concerts[edit]

text: Red Velvet "Red Room" Concert[edit]

text:
Date
Location
Venue
Attendance

August 18, 2017
Seoul, South Korea
Olympic Hall
11,000[58]

August 19, 2017

August 20, 2017

March 28, 2018
Tokyo, Japan
Musashino Forest Sports Plaza
20,000[110]

March 29, 2018

text: Headlining tours[edit]

text: Red Velvet Hall Tour in Japan “Red Room” 2018[edit]

text:
Date[111]
City
Country
Venue

May 25, 2018
Sapporo, Hokkaido
Japan
Wakuwaku Holiday Hall

May 27, 2018
Aichi
Ichinomiya City Hall

May 30, 2018
Hiroshima
JMS Aster Plaza Great Hall

June 1, 2018
Fukuoka
Fukuoka International Conference Hall

June 4, 2018
Osaka
Orix Theater

June 5, 2018

June 7, 2018
Kanagawa
Pacifico Yokohama National Convention Hall

June 8, 2018

text: Showcase[edit]

text: Red Velvet “ReVeluv-Baby Party” Premium Showcase in Japan (2017)[112]

text: Concert participation[edit]

text:
SM Town Live World Tour IV (2014–2015)
SM Town Live World Tour V (2016)
SM Town Live World Tour VI (2017–2018)

text: Awards and nominations[edit]


document_title: Blair Waldorf

question_text: who's baby is blair having in gossip girl

question_tokens: who 's baby is blair having in gossip girl

text: Blair Waldorf

text: Character in print[edit]

text: Gossip Girl is a series of novels about socially prominent young adults in New York City. The story primarily follows Blair Waldorf and her best friend Serena van der Woodsen during their years in high school and college. Due to her fame on the Upper East Side, Blair is featured on the website of "Gossip Girl," an anonymous gossip blogger whose posts appear occasionally throughout the story.

text: Novel series[edit]

text: In the first book, Blair is introduced as a privileged, comically vain overachiever.[6] She is described as an alluring brunette,[7] and occasionally models her appearance and demeanor after famous actresses, including Marilyn Monroe and, most often, Audrey Hepburn.[8] In early novels, the character is also written as bulimic.

text: Blair is largely motivated by matters surrounding family, romance, and ambition. However, her tendency to overachieve can lead to feelings of paranoia, with dramatic or comical results. In a review for The New Yorker, Janet Malcolm remarked that Blair's issues made her "both a broader caricature and a more real person" than the other Gossip Girl characters.[6] In a 2009 interview, Gossip Girl creator Cecily von Ziegesar claimed to identify with Blair the most, stating, "She is so unpredictable and dramatic. Such a bitch, but we understand why she is a bitch and we like her anyway".[9]

text: Story lines[edit]

text: Throughout most of the series' run, Blair grapples with a number of changes within her family. Two years prior to the opening novel, Blair's parents divorced after her father ran off with another man. When her mother remarries, and her father leaves the country, Blair has difficulty accepting her stepfather, Cyrus Rose. In addition, her stress over these matters occasionally affects her other relationships.[10] However, Blair ultimately remains close to her father Harold, who she often turns to for comfort.[11] By contrast, she maintains a somewhat tenser relationship with her mother Eleanor. It is also revealed that Blair has struggled with bulimia.[12]

text: In the opening novel, Blair learns of an affair between her friend Serena and her boyfriend Nate. This marks the beginning of the story's primary love triangle, which recurs throughout the series.[13] Blair's romantic life has various effects on her character development. After Nate repeatedly hurts her, she eventually refuses to take him back until she believes in his ability to commit to her.[14] In pursuing Nate, however, Blair herself cheats on her new boyfriend Pete, which results in her losing both of them.[15] She eventually begins to acknowledge her mistakes, with her father's help.[16] She later grows closer to Chuck Bass (which initially occurred in the series' television adaptation), who she'd previously known for years, which leads them to briefly date one another.[16]

text: Blair is noted for an over-achieving nature, which often appears in humorous scenes. In a review for New York magazine, Emily Nussbaum lauded one of Blair's fantasies, which involves "joining the Peace Corps, getting a killer tan, winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and having dinner with the president, 'who would then write her a recommendation to Yale, and then Yale would fall all over themselves to accept her.' "[17] The New Yorker's Janet Malcolm remarked that unlike some of her forerunners in film and literature, "Blair already has all the money and position anyone could want. She is pure naked striving, restlessly seeking an object, any object, and never knowing when enough is enough."[6]

text: Blair encounters a setback during her interview at Yale by revealing the recent stress in her life, and then kissing her interviewer on the cheek upon dismissal. Her father then makes a donation to the school, though Blair is still wait-listed.[18] In the twelfth book, I Will Always Love You, it is revealed that she has been admitted to the university.[19]

text: In addition to her feelings for Nate, Blair is sometimes said to feel competitive with Serena in other areas, including matters of beauty and popularity.[20] This also leads to an occasional envy on Blair's part.[17] It is unclear how much of Blair's perception of Serena is in line with reality; the narrative describes both characters as "hands down the two hottest girls on the Upper East Side, and maybe all of Manhattan, or even the whole world."[7]

text: Manga series[edit]

text: In 2010, Yen Press began publishing a manga adaptation titled Gossip Girl: For Your Eyes Only, written and illustrated by HyeKyung Baek. This series adapts notable scenarios from the novel—including the triangle with Nate and Serena—but also features new material.

text: After losing her position as queen bee, Blair attempts to regain her former status while adjusting to a less privileged lifestyle.[21] In addition to this series, Blair also appears in a manga adaptation of the novel Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer, a parody of horror stories.[22]

text: Television series[edit]

text: In 2007, Gossip Girl was adapted for television. According to Cecily von Ziegesar, the television character is largely faithful to the original.[9] Among the aspects to be maintained are her admiration for Audrey Hepburn and her interest in Yale University. However, the series is also noted for its deviations from the source material,[6] including the exclusion of Blair's brother Tyler. The show also explores romances between Blair and multiple male leads, resulting in occasional love triangles. In the fifth season, Blair is revealed to be pregnant with Prince of Monaco, Louis Grimaldi's child. However the child later dies before birth after a car crash Blair and Chuck were in.[23]

text: Among fans and the media, Blair's bond with Chuck Bass was commonly known by the portmanteau "Chair", while her relationship with Dan Humphrey was referred to as "Dair". The nicknames and viewer interest in these relationships were recognized by the show's producers.[24]

text: Casting[edit]

text: They were like, 'Be bitchy and nice, ugly and pretty, young and old, stupid and smart, innocent and slutty, blond and brunette. Can you be all those things?'

text: To prepare for the part of Blair, actress Leighton Meester, a natural blonde, dyed her hair brown before auditioning, and also studied the first novel.[26][27] She has described the character as multi-faceted, labeling her "a little bit of everything which is pretty amazing."[27] Like von Ziegesar, Meester has also claimed to relate to Blair on certain levels. Prior to the show's debut in 2007, the actress stated that, "The only way to play Blair, or any character, and make her human, is to find what she is inside me. And I know I have my insecurities, too." She went on to say that, "The way Blair and I are not alike when it comes to insecurities is: She pays so much attention to hers!"[28] Meester's casting was described by Yahoo! as a star-making role which moved her "into the pop culture vanguard,"[29] while Cecily von Ziegesar has called her a perfect choice.[30]

text: In December 2010, Meester revealed plans to leave the show in 2012. E! Online and other outlets speculated that her departure would possibly mark the end of the series.[31]

text: Season 1[edit]

text: In Season 1 of Gossip Girl, Blair is introduced as the Upper East Side's beautiful and popular queen bee. She is the daughter of Eleanor Waldorf, a famous fashion designer. She is dating Nate Archibald, and is best friends with Serena van der Woodsen. She also finds a close companion in Nate's best friend and her childhood friend Chuck Bass, who becomes a partner for her schemes. When Serena returns home from boarding school, Blair learns from Nate that he lost his virginity to a drunken Serena over a year ago.[32] Blair retaliates by publicly revealing Serena's connection to a rehab hospital. She then learns that the actual patient is Serena's younger brother, Eric, who had been committed after a suicide attempt. Afterward, a remorseful Blair reconciles with Serena.[33][34]

text: After learning that Nate no longer loves her, Blair sleeps with Chuck, eventually falling for him. This leads to a heated affair and an eventual love triangle. Her inability to choose creates much of the first season's story line.[35] There are brief mentions of Blair's past struggle with anorexia-bulimia that are never mentioned again past the first season.

text: She also begins a brief power struggle with freshman Jenny Humphrey. After she unites with Chuck and Nate in order to save Serena from the scheming Georgina Sparks, Chuck realizes that his feelings for Blair are real and suggests that they spend the summer together in Tuscany. However, he is discouraged by his father at the last minute, and stands Blair up.[36]

text: Season 2[edit]

text: At the launch of the second season, Blair was described by creators as the queen at the center of the Gossip Girl chess game.[37] A large portion of her story line in Season 2 revolves around her love-hate relationship with Chuck Bass, which was labeled "the heart of GG" by People magazine.[26] While competing with Serena, Blair forms an unexpected friendship with Jenny, who states that they each work for everything they achieve, while Serena often glides through life. During their interviews at Yale University, Blair and Serena apologize for their ill feelings and resume their friendship.[38]

text: In the episode "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?", Chuck is devastated by news of his father's death, prompting Blair to offer her support while telling Chuck that she loves him. He initially shuns her advances, but later turns to her for comfort.[39] However, the two stop seeing each other due to Chuck's uncle, Jack Bass, convincing him he has an inability to commit to a relationship.[40] After being rejected by Yale, Blair finds unexpected encouragement from Nate.[41] She is later accepted into New York University, and her competitive relationship with Georgina is eventually renewed.

text: As the season ends, Blair crowns Jenny the new queen of Constance Billard School. In the season finale, it is discovered that Blair slept with Chuck's uncle Jack and that Chuck had slept with Vanessa Abrams. Chuck then departs for Europe. He later returns to New York and reconciles with Blair while declaring his love for her, and the two finally begin a committed relationship.[42]

text: Season 3[edit]

text: In the third season, Blair joins Vanessa, Georgina, and Jenny's brother Dan at NYU.[43] Much of her story line concerns her inability to attain her previous status at her new school. She finds emotional support from her mother, as well as Chuck. However, she and Chuck separate once again when Blair feels that he manipulated her while competing with his uncle (Chuck made a deal with Jack that Blair could sleep with him and in exchange, Chuck gets his hotel back that Jack initially stole to 'destroy Chuck').

text: She later transfers to Columbia University, and learns that an emotionally reformed Chuck was responsible for her enrollment.[44] They later team up as part of a role-playing scheme to help Serena's mother and Chuck's adopted mother, Lily. In the season finale, Chuck attempts to propose to Blair, but is interrupted by Dan, who reveals that Chuck had slept with Jenny. Two weeks later, Blair and Serena depart for Paris intending to spend the summer together.[45]

text: Season 4[edit]

text: In Season 4, Blair and Chuck become competitive once again, but eventually resume their sexual relations before recognizing their love for one another. When the relationship interferes with their business interests, she and Chuck break up once more. Chuck promises he'll wait for her, and both affirm their belief that their love will reunite them in the end.[46]

text: Blair then teams up with Dan when the two share common goals. They also end up working together at W. magazine, where friction develops between the two.[47] On Valentine's Day, she discovers that Chuck has romantic feelings for Raina Thorpe, the daughter of his business rival. Later, she and Dan spend the evening talking on their cell phones while watching Rosemary's Baby.[48] Blair later quits W. and is shown asleep with Dan in his Brooklyn flat. Later, upon growing curious of their feelings for one another, Blair and Dan share a kiss before the mid-season hiatus.

text: Blair eventually decides that she wants to be with Chuck, but shuns him once again after he tries to humiliate Dan.[49] She is later courted by a prince from Monaco named Louis. During a private confrontation, a drunken Chuck punches a window after he finds out Prince Louis has proposed to Blair, which cuts Blair's face as it shatters. Afterward, Blair chooses to accept a proposal from Louis.[50] Blair later attempts to warn Chuck about potential trouble in his family. She is then abducted by an enemy of the Basses, Raina's father Russell Thorpe. Chuck later rescues Blair and apologizes for his violent actions. Following a night out together, the two have sex before Chuck advises Blair to return to Louis, believing that she will be happier with him. However, the season ends with the revelation that Blair may be pregnant.[51]

text: Reaction to triangle[edit]

text:
Chuck and Blair are always going to be connected in their way, and Dan and Serena are always going to be connected in their way. But that doesn't mean that there won't be new roads to go down that might be different than what we initially anticipated.
—Joshua Safran, producer[52]

text: Amidst the fourth season, the romance between Dan and Blair became a polarizing topic among viewers[47] which also drew significant media interest. Jarett Wieselman of the New York Post applauded the development, feeling that Blair had "more chemistry" with Dan than with Chuck.[53] New York magazine's Chris Rovzar called Blair and Dan's story line "believable", citing their common ground in education and taste. Rovzar further stated, "Since they live in a world where both only seem to have half a dozen real friends (if that), is it so crazy they'd end up together?"[54] An article from The Huffington Post declared that "Dan and Blair together are like Harry Burns and Sally Albright reincarnated — the couple was obviously inspired by When Harry Met Sally." It further commented that the couple paralleled Pacey and Joey's relationship from Dawson's Creek and concluded that Dan and Blair were "the most inspired storyline and couple of the show".[55] Entertainment Weekly stated that Dan and Blair were like stars in an "updated version of You've Got Mail".[56] Tierney Bricker of E! ranked all 25 Gossip Girl couples placing 'Dair' as the third best couple after Blair and Serena (#1) and 'Chair' (#2). Bricker stated that "[Dan and Blair], out of all the main characters, were the most well-suited for each other. In real life, they would've been 'endgame'."[57]

text: Dawn Fallik of The Wall Street Journal was less positive, asserting that "both characters have been so Blandified that there's no fun left in the show."[58] A writer for E! Online's Team WWK labeled the Dan/Blair relationship "nomance nonsense".[59]

text: With regard to Chuck and Blair, Meester stated, "I can really relate to it—not necessarily because it's this dramatic, tumultuous relationship, but because the way they love each other is very real, and not for the sake of being dramatic. It's actual love. There's nobody for each other but them."[60] Meester also expressed fondness for Dan and Blair, however, stating, "I think they're good for each other in a lot of ways, in a way that Chuck and Blair aren't."[47] Badgley claimed that he thought "Blair [was] Dan's soul mate"[61] and further stated that he thought the Blair and Dan storyline was "the most exciting for Dan as a person".[62] When Hollywoodlife.com asked Ed Westwick, who played Chuck Bass, which character he thought loved Blair more, Chuck or Dan, Westwick pointed to Badgley, saying "definitely him."[63]

text: Producers initially noticed chemistry between Blair and Dan in the Season 1 episode "Bad News Blair". According to producer Joshua Safran, the creators planned to revisit their relationship once the timing was right. Safran also stated that the outcome wasn't necessarily decided ahead of time. "One thing we are very conscious of—and I know some fans get upset about this—is we really try to treat the characters as living, breathing, well-rounded individuals. And we're often surprised by where their journeys take them; they open new doors for us all the time," he said.[52]

text: Controversy[edit]

text: Following the twentieth episode of Season 4, Safran spoke on behalf of the series regarding the scene in which Chuck became violent with Blair.[64]

text: The way we viewed it, I think it's very clear that Blair is not afraid in those moments, for herself. They have a volatile relationship, they always have, but I do not believe—or I should say we do not believe—that it is abuse when it's the two of them. Chuck does not try to hurt Blair. He punches the glass because he has rage, but he has never, and will never, hurt Blair. He knows it and she knows it, and I feel it's very important to know that she is not scared—if anything, she is scared for Chuck—and what he might do to himself, but she is never afraid of what he might do to her. Leighton and I were very clear about that.

text: In response to these comments, Carina MacKenzie of Zap2it stated, "We're left wondering if Safran missed the part where she went home bleeding because Chuck was using physical intimidation to release his own emotions."[65] While reviewing the episode, Tierney Bricker of Zap2it felt that there were "really no excuses for Chuck Bass anymore."[66] MacKenzie concluded that Chuck's behavior throughout Season 4 fit the signs of an abusive relationship, citing examples from HelpGuide.org, a non-profit health resource. She noted Chuck's public humiliation of Blair, his attempt to pawn her during a business deal, and his use of physical intimidation. MacKenzie also called the show's explanation "disturbing, particularly given the young, female target demographic of Gossip Girl and The CW."[65]

text: In a review for the Los Angeles Times, Judy Berman addressed Safran's description of Blair during the scene. "Considering how terrified Blair looked at the end of their encounter, and how quickly she got out of there, the show is sending a mixed message at best." She went on to state, "We have no right to expect Gossip Girl to be a paragon of morality, or even realism, but the idea that true love requires taking a shard of glass to the face is disturbing even in this alternate, soap-opera dimension."[67]

text: Season 5[edit]

text: In the fifth season premiere, Blair continues to plan her wedding, but begins to encounter problems in her relationship with Louis. It is later revealed that she is pregnant.[23] Blair tells Chuck that the child is Louis', and states that part of her wanted Chuck to be the father.[68] Dan becomes Blair's confidante and is shown to be in love with her, though she remains oblivious to his feelings and states that there is nothing more than friendship between them.

text: Though she insists that she is in love with Louis, Blair begins to seek Chuck out as the season progresses. The two eventually declare their love for each other prior to a car accident in her limousine while being chased by paparazzi. Though both recover, Blair suffers a miscarriage from the crash. After the crash Blair decides that she must commit herself to Louis, converting to Catholicism and cutting off any connection with Chuck. At the wedding, Gossip Girl releases a recording of Blair confessing her love for Chuck. Nevertheless, Louis and Blair get married, making Blair a Princess of Monaco, though Louis informs her that they will have a loveless marriage of convenience.[69] She then receives support from Dan, leading them to share a kiss on Valentine's Day. Amidst these developments, Blair grows conflicted between her feelings for Dan and Chuck.[70] After taking steps to end her marriage, she chooses to begin a romantic relationship with Dan.[71] By the end of the season, however, after a debate about which love is the best—with Dan she feels safe, with Chuck she feels vulnerable—Blair declares that she is still in love with Chuck, and chooses to pursue him.[72]

text: Season 6[edit]

text: In the final season, Blair resumes her romantic relationship with Chuck, while Chuck and his father Bart—who is revealed to be alive in the previous season—become bitter rivals. Blair pursues her career as head of Waldorf Designs, with several mishaps, before staging a successful line.[73] In the penultimate episode, Bart falls to his death while trying to attack Chuck atop a building. Afterward, Blair and Chuck depart together. In the series finale, Blair marries Chuck which results in her not having to testify against him in his father's murder case. Five years later, Blair is shown to be running her mother's successful fashion line and she works with Jenny in a line called "J for Waldorf", and she and Chuck are shown to have a son named Henry.[74]

text: Reception[edit]

text: In print[edit]

text: While covering the book series, Janet Malcolm of The New Yorker labeled the character "an antiheroine of the first rank," and asserted that "the series belongs to awful Blair, who inspires von Ziegesar's highest flights of comic fancy." She also compared Blair to vintage film and literary figures such as Becky Sharp of Vanity Fair, and Lizzie Eustace of The Eustace Diamonds.[6] In addition, the character has drawn comparisons to notable contemporaries, including Lila Fowler of the Sweet Valley High series.[75]

text: In the 2007 book Children's Literature and Culture, writer Harry Edwin Eiss chastised the depiction of Blair's bulimia. "If handled properly, the inclusion of her illness could have provided a powerful lesson for young adult readers who worry about their weight and food consumption. Unfortunately, Cecily von Ziegesar, the author of the series, presents a seriously flawed treatment of the problem. In a failed attempt at humor, the writer regards Blair's sickness as just another source of gossip," he said.[76] Emily Nussbaum of New York magazine had similar comments, calling the bulimia "more of an icky weakness than a full-fledged pathology." However, she went on to commend Blair as "hilariously self-centered".[17]

text: Julie Opipari of Manga Maniac Cafe gave the initial Gossip Girl manga a negative review, citing displeasure with the characters and plot. However, she acknowledged that this gave her a greater appreciation for Blair in the second volume, noting that Blair "really had to learn how to rough it" after losing her privileged lifestyle. She went on to state that "Blair is one character that is fun to hate on. So imagine my surprise when I actually started to like her by the end of the book".[77]

text: On screen[edit]

text: The show's breakout character,[78] Blair Waldorf has garnered much media recognition. Yahoo! proclaims Blair a member of "television's pantheon of razor-witted, solipsistic high school Alpha females."[29] While commenting on Meester, New York magazine's 2008 cover story of the series states, "Her villain-you-want-to-root-for is the most sophisticated performance on the show."[79] In another 2008 article, People magazine commented that "Meester has burst out of this ensemble to stardom."[80] Variety described her performance as similar to that of "a predatory junior Joan Collins who practically breathes fire out of her pinched, perfectly WASP-ish nostrils."[80] FHM Online ranked the actress the "Hottest TV Star" of autumn 2008, stating that as Blair Waldorf, "Leighton Meester has stolen the spotlight with her mind-blowing good looks and amazing performance."[81] OK! magazine likened her character to Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly Golightly.[82] The physical similarity was also noted by USA Today.[83]

text: In its 2009 "Hot List", Rolling Stone cited Blair as "the reason we love the back-stabby soap most."[84] Regarding the fictional fame of Blair's friend Serena, Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly asserted that "Serena may be the star of the media but Blair is quickly becoming the star of this show."[85] While citing Serena's long-revered allure, Glamour and its readers compared the two characters in 2008, with Blair being recognized as more beautiful than Serena.[86] In a review from The Atlantic, Blair and Serena's friendship was praised as "it offered a relationship whose depth and complexity approached Rory and Paris' [from Gilmore Girls]."[87]

text: In May 2009, Blair received attention from Forbes, which interviewed her via the series' writers.[88] Television Without Pity listed Meester in their "Golden Globes 2009: Overlooked TV Shows and Performances" article, labeling Blair "so multi-faceted, well-dressed and beautifully played that she elevates this teen soap to something we don't even feel guilty about admitting we love."[89] Meester won the Teen Choice Award for "Choice TV Actress Drama" in 2009,[90] and again in 2010.[91] In 2009, she was voted the "Best Mean Girl" in Zap2it's first poll of the best television characters in the 2000s.[92] In February 2012, Zap2it held another poll to determine TV's Most Crushworthy. Blair was elected TV's Most Crushworthy 1% Female over Temperance "Bones" Brennan.[93] The 1 percenters are people that "have everything going for them with their fantastic good looks and their opulent lifestyle".[94] Her relationship with Chuck Bass was included in TV Guide's list of "The Best TV Couples of All Time"[95] as well as Entertainment Weekly's "30 Best 'Will They/Won't They?' TV Couples".[96]

text: The character's wardrobe—credited to designers Abigail Lorick and Eric Daman[97][98]—was popular, earning mentions from periodicals such as InStyle[99] and New York,[100] along with recognition from websites.[101] TV Guide listed Blair among its "Best Dressed TV Characters of 2007".[102] Entertainment Weekly named Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass the "Most Stylish" characters of 2008.[103] Lifetime television ranks Blair first in its listing of "The Top 10 Best-Dressed TV Characters",[104] while Glamour has named her among its best-dressed TV characters of all time.[105] In a Vanity Fair interview, costume designers Eric Daman and Meredith Markworth-Pollack named Audrey Hepburn and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as their inspirations when dressing Meester as Blair. The designers also cited New York socialites Tinsley Mortimer and Arden Wohl as influences.[106] TV Guide named her the sixth most fashionable TV character.[107]