New Delhi: Football’s biggest award to mark standout individual performance, the Ballon d’Or, is here. This edition is being viewed as a new football era after both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are excluded from the top 30 list in 21 years. The duo have dominated the prestigious award, having collected 13 awards in 16 years between them.
Since 2007, only Luka Madric’s in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022 have won the award. Messi’s last win came in 2023 after leading Argentina to the 2022 and Ronaldo won his last in 2017 after Real Madrid had won both La Liga and UEFA Champions League. The spotlight is now going to be on Vinicius Junior who has enjoyed a brilliant season for Real.
His Los Blanco teammates Dani Carvajal and Jude Bellingham and Manchester City’s Rodri and Erling Haaland are the other strong contenders. However, it will be harsh to not give the recognition to Inter’s Lautaro Martinez, who also had a season to remember with the Nerazzuri.
The award had started in the 1956 and has been awarded by France Football through a jury of 100 journalists from countries who are in the top of FIFA world rankings. Except 2020, the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris has staged the recognition for great victories and outstanding personal performances.
After a season where more youngsters have come to the spotlight, quite a few young players have been nominated for the award. The biggest example of this is Bellingham and Vinicius having lifted the the top-tier of Spanish title and Champions League with Bellingham being a central figure in England reaching the Euros 2024. Lamine Yamal delivered for Spain regularly during the same campaign.
Nominees for 2024 Ballon d’Or
The 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees 🌟 pic.twitter.com/ZCxFHgxFza
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 4, 2024
When and where to watch Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony?
The Ballon d’Or 2024 will be broadcasteds live in India at 12:30 AM IST. The Ballon d’Or will be livestreamed on the Sony LIV App and will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network.
