The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place in Paris tonight when the world’s best footballers gather at the Theatre du Chatelet for a night of awards and celebration.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham as well as Manchester City’s Rodri are being widely tipped as frontrunners for the men’s award in a year where neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo have been nominated.
But there was drama before the ceremony as Real Madrid’s delegation cancelled their trip to Paris at the last minute, after “leaked” results of the Ballon d’Or showed Rodri had received the most votes.
The female prize, named the Ballon d’Or Feminin, was won by Spain and Barcelona forward Aitana Bonmati last year and she is the favourite to lift the trophy again and become a two-time winner after 26 goals and 18 assists en route to winning the Champions League, three domestic trophies and the Nations League.
Two new awards will be introduced this year, with Men’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year joining a full slate of awards on an evening where legends of the game are celebrated.
Follow all the latest updates from the Ballon d’Or ceremony with our live blog below:
Ballon d’Or Awards
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The Ballon d’Or awards ceremony takes place tonight in Paris
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Man City’s Rodri the new favourite over Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr for the men’s prize
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Barcelona superstar Aitana Bonmati tipped to win Ballon d’Or Feminin
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Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Rodri also nominated
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Cole Palmer in 25th place, with England teammates Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka also outside top 20
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Lauren James (13th, Feminin award) and Phil Foden (11th, Men’s) rank just outside top tens
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Lamine Yamal wins Kopa Trophy
Ballon d’Or LIVE
20:24 , Karl Matchett
Time for the Gerd Muller trophy – the top scorer, with a pair netting 52 goals last season.
Unsurprising winners if you were keeping count: Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe.
The England striker thanks France Football and acknowledges the legend of Karl-Heinze Rummenigge, who presents him with the award.
Mbappe, of course, is not there – nobody from Real Madrid appears to be.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
20:19 , Karl Matchett
The family of the Kaiser are on stage for the tribute to the iconic German.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
20:16 , Karl Matchett
NOBODY.
Nobody at all is there from Real Madrid to collect or acknowledge the award. A quick word from Drogba and they move on swiftly to a look back at the career and life of Franz Beckenbauer, who died in January.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
20:12 , Karl Matchett
Next few men:
10th: Harry Kane, Bayern and England
9th: Toni Kroos, retired (Germany)
8th: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain.
And the men’s club of the year: Real Madrid.
Let’s see who is actually here to collect the award…
Ballon d’Or LIVE
20:11 , Karl Matchett
Not sure why but Laporta’s rambling after saying how well the women’s team have done ended in thanking Hansi Flick and the rest of the men’s team for making the world “love” Barcelona again.
Bit weird, that, at the very least weird timing. Anyway, on we go.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
20:09 , Karl Matchett
Joan Laporta accepts the award alongside captain Alexia Putellas after yet another year of winning…well, everything.
Alexia invites the rest of the team who are present up on stage to take the applause.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
20:06 , Karl Matchett
Two updates in a row. First the next three from the Ballon d’Or Feminin:
10th: Alexia Putellas
9th: Trinity Rodman
8th: Mariona Caldentey
And now the women’s club of the year…which once again goes to Barcelona Femeni!
Real Madrid boycott Ballon d’Or with Vinicius Jr set to lose out to Rodri
20:04 , Karl Matchett
Real Madrid’s players did not turn up to the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris because they believe star forward Vinicius Jr will be beaten to the top prize by Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri.
According to reports, the Real Madrid delegation cancelled their trip to Monday night’s ceremony at the last minute when the “leaked results” of the prestigious award showed Rodri had received the most votes ahead of Vinicius and Jude Bellingham.
Real Madrid were thrashed 4-0 by rivals Barcelona in Saturday night’s Clasico and there has since been a total blackout of posts on the club’s social media channels, with no acknowledgment of the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
Real Madrid boycott Ballon d’Or with Vinicius Jr set to lose out to Rodri
Ballon d’Or LIVE
20:01 , Karl Matchett
A top-three finish for England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
20:00 , Karl Matchett
Lamine is the first under-18 player to win this award and gives a quick speech saying how proud he is and thanking family and teammates – and ending with a note about the big 4-0 win over Real Madrid at the weekend!
Ballon d’Or LIVE
19:58 , Karl Matchett
Kopa Trophy contenders:
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Pau Cubarsi
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Arda Guler
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Kobbie Mainoo
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Savinho
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Lamine Yamal
And the winner… in surprise to nobody, Lamine Yamal!
The Barcelona winger has had a truly stunning year, playing a massive part in Spain’s win at Euro 2024.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
19:56 , Karl Matchett
First up as usual it’s the Kopa Trophy – the best U21 player, this year presented by Dutch icon Ruud Gullit.
We get a beauty of a montage dedicated to the dreadlocked one – or he was in those days of course, no longer – who was a serial champion with Feyenoord, PSV, Milan and beyond.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
19:54 , Karl Matchett
So many players with such immense achievements and performances this past year – but now we’ll start to see who gets close to winning.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
19:52 , Karl Matchett
We are finally underway! Sandy Heribert and Didier Drogba are our hosts tonight.
We begin with a run-down of the top ten of each award, men’s and women’s, who remain in the running for victory.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
19:48 , Karl Matchett
Eyes emojis all over the place. Will tonight be a first in Ballon d’Or history – a defensive midfielder picking up the men’s award?
He and Vinicius Jr are seen as the front-runners, of course.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
19:35 , Karl Matchett
We are just about ready to go in Paris!
Ballon d’Or ceremony 2024 incoming.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
19:28 , Karl Matchett
Rumour has it Harry Kane will kick off the top ten countdown when it begins…not long now to get the ceremony underway!
Ballon d’Or LIVE
19:18 , Karl Matchett
How do you say “cheeky” in Spanish?
Ballon d’Or LIVE
19:03 , Karl Matchett
Dani Olmo, Joan Laporta, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi – the Barcelona contingent are present and correct in France.
Will their great domestic rivals show though?
Ballon d’Or LIVE
18:55 , Karl Matchett
Ballon d’Or royalty and no mistake!
Ballon d’Or LIVE
18:50
Toni Kroos does not care for your individual awards.
🚨🌟 Toni Kroos: “Rodri will win the Ballon d’Or”.
“I’ve never seen the importance of these individual awards in football, they have no place”. pic.twitter.com/dl8YfGsuXB
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 28, 2024
Ballon d’Or LIVE
18:40 , Karl Matchett
Now, officially we don’t know yet – we can’t see all those arriving. And the ceremony is due to get underway at 7.45pm – about an hour from now.
But the rumours and suggestions have been that Real Madrid have not travelled for the ceremony, amid the feeling that Vinicius Jr has been overlooked for the men’s award.
Whether that’s true we’ll wait and see – Rodri is his big challenger, of course.
Certain supposed ‘leaks’ on social media have the Brazilian forward still in top spot though so let’s not rush to any judgements just yet…
Ballon d’Or LIVE
18:32 , Karl Matchett
Plenty of notable arrivals now, in order:
Arsenal star Mariona Caldentey, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente, Georgia and soon-to-be Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and…err, well, flamboyant former striker Djibril Cisse.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
18:24 , Karl Matchett
A reminder of the placings so far for England’s contingent outside the top ten:
Men’s
Declan Rice 26th
Cole Palmer 25th
Bukayo Saka 21st
Phil Foden 11th
Women’s
Lauren Hemp 28th
Lucy Bronze 20th
Lauren James 13th
Ballon d’Or LIVE
18:18 , Karl Matchett
The expectant crowd awaits…
Ballon d’Or LIVE
18:06 , Karl Matchett
Plenty of arrivals now for tonight’s ceremony which is only a couple of hours away.
15th – Nico Williams, Athletic and Spain
14th – Ademola Lookman, Atalanta and Nigeria
13th – Dani Olmo, RB Leipzig/Barcelona and Spain
12th – Florian Wirtz, Bayer Leverkusen and Germany
11th – Phil Foden, Man City and England
Ballon d’Or LIVE
17:53 , Karl Matchett
Shall we guess…?
Ballon d’Or LIVE
17:45 , Karl Matchett
More men’s rankings have landed:
20th – Hakan Calhanoglu, Inter and Turkey
19th – Martin Odegaard, Arsenal and Norway
18th – Emi Martinez, Aston Villa and Argentina
17th – Fede Valverde, Real Madrid and Uruguay
16th – Granit Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen and Switzerland
Ballon d’Or LIVE
17:30 , Karl Matchett
A full rundown of the previous men’s winners – will Rodri be joining them?
Ballon d’Or LIVE
17:24 , Karl Matchett
Ahhh, videos for the women’s side emerge! Bunny Shaw’s impact at Man City has been immense – she was so close to a WSL title last year too.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
17:17 , Karl Matchett
Plenty of big hitters at this stage in the Feminin award, including another of the Lionesses squad.
Barcelona’s Patri Guijarro just misses the top ten, ranking ahead of Chelsea’s Lauren James (13th) and Man City’s Bunny Shaw (15th).
Former winner Ada Hegerberg (14th) is also in this grouping – she won the first ever Feminin award of course.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
17:12 , Karl Matchett
Lucy Bronze in at No.20 in the Feminin award!
Another big campaign for the Lionesses full-back.
Gabi Portilho and Giulia Gwinn are just inside the top 20.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
17:05 , Karl Matchett
Toni Rudiger ranks at 22 and then it’s Arsenal star Bukayo Saka who just misses out on the top 20 this year, in at 21 after another stellar campaign with the Gunners.
Another brilliant goal at the weekend, too!
A defensive midfielder winning the Ballon d’Or?
17:00 , Karl Matchett
There has been one goalkeeper, Lev Yashin, and a trio of defenders, though Fabio Cannavaro was more of a stopper than the German midfielders, Franz Beckenbauer and Matthias Sammer, who were converted into sweepers. But there has never been a defensive midfielder. The Ballon d’Or is almost seven decades old and Rodri, the man who earned Manchester City their first Champions League, could be a history maker in another respect.
A trophy that had seemed the private property of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for a decade and a half may have an unlikely winner. Rodri ranks as second favourite, behind Vinicius Junior, for a prize he never imagined he might secure, despite suffering a season-ending knee injury last month.
But then why would he? The Ballon d’Or has tended to be reserved for forwards and flair players. His job description entails unselfishness. The defensive midfielder is constructed to allow others to get the glory. And yet the paradox of Rodri is that he has reached such a standard, achieved so much himself for his respective teams, that the spotlight has shone back onto him.
Richard Jolly on what Rodri winning would mean:
A defensive midfielder winning the Ballon d’Or? Why Rodri’s win would be historic
Ballon d’Or LIVE
16:50 , Karl Matchett
Aitana Bonmati is in the house!
The Barcelona icon won the Feminin award last year and is favourite to do so again this time around.
Alexander-Arnold sets Ballon d’Or goal
16:40 , Karl Matchett
He won’t be winning the award this year – Dani Carvajal and Ale Grimaldo are the only full-backs in the running – but Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold has already set himself the goal of winning the Ballon d’Or in future.
“I want to be the first full-back to ever do it [win the award],” he told Sky Sports. “It’s only the morning after you retire that you’re able to look in the mirror and say, ‘I gave it everything I got’.
“It doesn’t matter how many trophies you win, or how many medals you’ve got. It matters what you give to the game and if you reach your full potential.
“[I want to be remembered as] a legend of football, someone who changed the game. That is the main thing that I have – ‘don’t play the game; change the game’. I want that legacy of being the greatest right-back to have played football.
“I have got to reach for the stars and that’s where I believe my ceiling can go.”
Ballon d’Or LIVE
16:35 , Karl Matchett
Two more Premier League stars: defensive duo William Saliba and Ruben Dias are next out.
Feels likely we’ll see those names again a year from now, given how the top flight is going.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
16:30 , Karl Matchett
An England men’s pair now: Arsenal’s Declan Rice is first up, placing 26th, and after his first full senior season it’s an incredible 25th for Cole Palmer.
Not a bad year for the Chelsea superstar, who went on to score in the Euro 2024 final of course.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
16:26 , Karl Matchett
On we go then with the first few men’s nominees and their placings:
Joint 29th are Artem Dovbyk of Girona last season and Mats Hummels of Dortmund last season – both now of Roma.
Alejandro Grimaldo places 28th after a stellar year with Bayer Leverkusen, then PSG’s Vitinha in 27th.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
16:24 , Karl Matchett
Well, on the back of that Wiegman comment about the awards taking place during a women’s international break, we can expect the Ballon d’Or organisers to get some further criticism here already and rightly so.
Those first ten female nominees have been grouped together, five in a single post – the first collection of men’s names coming through are individualised and with accompanying videos and so on.
Not quite the equity they seek to portray is it?
Sarina Wiegman ‘disappointed’ as Lionesses again unable to attend Ballon d’Or
16:20 , Karl Matchett
England manager Sarina Wiegman said it’s “really disappointing” that the Ballon d’Or is again clashing with the women’s international break, meaning nominated Lionesses players will not be able to attend the Paris ceremony tonight.
Lucy Bronze, Lauren James and Lauren Hemp have made the 30-player shortlist for the Ballon d’Or Feminin, while Wiegman herself has been nominated for women’s coach of the year. Although James is injured, the Lionesses will be preparing for Tuesday night’s friendly against South Africa in Coventry while the Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place and neither Bronze or Hemp will be able to join the star-studded evening.
It will be similar for several other leading nations across Europe and Aitana Bonmati, the favourite to retain the Ballon d’Or Feminin, will be required to play for Spain in Italy on Tuesday evening.
Sarina Wiegman ‘disappointed’ as Lionesses again unable to attend Ballon d’Or
Ballon d’Or LIVE
16:16
Chelsea’s Sjoeke Nusken is 25th, Bayern Munich captain Glodis Perla Viggosdottir ranks 22nd and another Chelsea player is just outside the top 20 in Mayra Ramirez.
Ballon d’Or LIVE
16:13 , Karl Matchett
The full awards ceremony might be tonight, but the earliest placings are now starting to come through with a collection of men and women’s rankings being released.
Man City’s Yui Hasegawa places 26th; her club teammate and England’s own Lauren Hemp comes in 28th.
When is the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony? Start time, venue and more
16:00 , Karl Matchett
The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place today, with the best in men’s and women’s football descending on the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris for a night of awards and celebration.
Considered the most prestigious awards showcase in the industry, this is a night for legends to be born, joining the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the pantheon of greatness.
Two new awards will be introduced this year, with Men’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year joining a full slate that is headlined by the Ballon d’Or and Ballon d’Or Feminin being handed out.
Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham and Rodri are widely regarded as favourites for the men’s award in a year where it’s incredibly likely a first-time winner will be crowned after Messi and Ronaldo won 13 of the previous 15 awards.
Here’s everything you need to know:
When is the 2024 Ballon d’Or? Start time, venue and nominees
Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees
15:40 , Karl Matchett
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Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
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Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Türkiye, Inter)
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Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid)
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Rúben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
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Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)
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Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
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Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
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Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
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Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
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Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich)
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Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid)
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Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)
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Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
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Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter )
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Kylian Mbappé (France, Paris Saint-Germain / Real Madrid)
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Martin Ødegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
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Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig / Barcelona)
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Cole Palmer (England, Manchester City / Chelsea)
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Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
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Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
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Antonio Rüdiger (Germany, Real Madrid)
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Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
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William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
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Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)
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Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)
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Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
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Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Club)
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Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)
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Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)
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Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Ballon d’Or Feminin nominees
15:20 , Karl Matchett
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Lucy Bronze (England, Barcelona / Chelsea)
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Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Barcelona / Arsenal)
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Barbra Banda (Zambia, Shanghai RCB / Orlando Pride)
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Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi, Paris Saint-Germain / Olympique Lyonnais)
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Grace Geyoro (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
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Manuela Giugliano (Italy, AS Roma)
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Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)
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Patricia Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)
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Giulia Gwinn (Germany, Bayern München)
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Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Manchester City)
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Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Olympique Lyonnais)
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Lauren Hemp (England, Manchester City)
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Lindsey Horan (USA, Olympique Lyonnais)
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Lauren James (England, Chelsea)
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Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
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Alyssa Naeher (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
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Sjoeke Nüsken (Germany, Chelsea)
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Ewa Pajor (Poland, VfL Wolfsburg / Barcelona)
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Salma Paralluelo (Spain, Barcelona)
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Gabi Portilho (Brazil, Corinthians)
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Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)
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Mayra Ramírez (Colombia, Levante / Chelsea)
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Trinity Rodman (USA, Washington Spirit)
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Lea Schüller (Germany, Bayern München)
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Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City)
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Sophia Smith (USA, Portland Thorns)
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Mallory Swanson (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
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Tarciane (Brazil, Corinthians / Houston Dash)
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Glódís Viggósdóttir (Iceland, Bayern München)
What other prizes will be awarded on the night?
15:00 , Karl Matchett
This is known as the Ballon d’Or awards night but really that is just one of several being handed out.
Here’s the full rundown of what to expect:
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The Ballon d’Or
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The Ballon d’Or Feminin
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The Kopa Trophy (best player under 21 years of age)
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The Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper)
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The Men’s Club of the Year Trophy
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The Women’s Club of the Year Trophy
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The Men’s Coach of the Year Trophy
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The Women’s Coach of the Year Trophy
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The Gerd Müller Trophy (top scorer of the previous season)
Sarina Wiegman ‘disappointed’ as Lionesses again unable to attend Ballon d’Or
14:45 , Jack Rathborn
England manager Sarina Wiegman said it’s “really disappointing” that the Ballon d’Or is again clashing with the women’s international break, meaning nominated Lionesses players will not be able to attend the Paris ceremony tonight.
Lucy Bronze, Lauren James and Lauren Hemp have made the 30-player shortlist for the Ballon d’Or Feminin, while Wiegman herself has been nominated for women’s coach of the year. Although James is injured, the Lionesses will be preparing for Tuesday night’s friendly against South Africa in Coventry while the Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place and neither Bronze or Hemp will be able to join the star-studded evening.
It will be similar for several other leading nations across Europe and Aitana Bonmati, the favourite to retain the Ballon d’Or Feminin, will be required to play for Spain in Italy on Tuesday evening.
Sarina Wiegman ‘disappointed’ as Lionesses again unable to attend Ballon d’Or
A defensive midfielder winning the Ballon d’Or? Why Rodri’s win would be a historic moment
14:37 , Jack Rathborn
There has been one goalkeeper, Lev Yashin, and a trio of defenders, though Fabio Cannavaro was more of a stopper than the German midfielders, Franz Beckenbauer and Matthias Sammer, who were converted into sweepers. But there has never been a defensive midfielder. The Ballon d’Or is almost seven decades old and Rodri, the man who earned Manchester City their first Champions League, could be a history maker in another respect.
A trophy that had seemed the private property of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for a decade and a half may have an unlikely winner. Rodri ranks as second favourite, behind Vinicius Junior, for a prize he never imagined he might secure, despite suffering a season-ending knee injury last month.
But then why would he? The Ballon d’Or has tended to be reserved for forwards and flair players. His job description entails unselfishness. The defensive midfielder is constructed to allow others to get the glory. And yet the paradox of Rodri is that he has reached such a standard, achieved so much himself for his respective teams, that the spotlight has shone back onto him.
A defensive midfielder winning the Ballon d’Or? Why Rodri’s win would be historic
When is the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony? Start time, venue and full list of nominees
14:28 , Jack Rathborn
The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place today, with the best in men’s and women’s football descending on the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris for a night of awards and celebration.
Considered the most prestigious awards showcase in the industry, this is a night for legends to be born, joining the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the pantheon of greatness.
Two new awards will be introduced this year, with Men’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year joining a full slate that is headlined by the Ballon d’Or and Ballon d’Or Feminin being handed out.
Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham and Rodri are widely regarded as favourites for the men’s award in a year where it’s incredibly likely a first-time winner will be crowned after Messi and Ronaldo won 13 of the previous 15 awards.
After winning LaLiga and the Champions League, Vinicius and Bellingham share a common advantage over Rodri, who is a surprise contender given his position as a defensive midfielder. Vinicius racked up 21 goals and nine assists across La Liga and the Champions League, while Bellingham enjoyed a stunning debut season at the Bernabeu, including a number of decisive late winners to keep Madrid in the hunt for silverware.
When is the 2024 Ballon d’Or? Start time, venue and nominees
Real Madrid choose not to travel to Ballon d’Or ceremony with Vinicius Jr destined to fall short?
14:25 , Jack Rathborn
Vinicius Jr will reportedly not travel to Paris for the ceremony tonight, reports Fabrizio Romano.
That same report confirms nobody from Real Madrid will attend the glamorous ceremony in Paris as internally the Spanish giants believe Vinicius Jr will not win the Ballon d’Or.
The top prize will go elsewhere, it seems, with Florentino Pérez, Carlo Ancelotti, Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal all opting to stay at home.
Read the full article here