The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony, which will be held on Monday, is set to take away the anxiety of fans around the world who are eagerly waiting to find out the winner of the most prestigious award in the football world.
However, this year’s ceremony, which will begin at 7 pm (GMT) at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, is slightly different than the previous ones.
This year marks the first time in 21 years that neither Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo nor Argentine football star Lionel Messi — who won the 2023 Ballon d’Or award — has been nominated in the men’s category for the award.
Additionally, with French footballer Karim Benzema and Croatian footballer Luka Modric also absent from the 30-man shortlist, a first-time winner is guaranteed.
The Ballon d’Or winner is voted on by journalists from the top 100 countries in the Fifa rankings, unlike other awards that rely on votes from current players.
Each journalist, one per country, is asked to select their 10 best players in order, with points attributed to each position. The winner is the player who receives the most points. But who will win it this year?
According to the Metro UK, Brazilian footballer Vinicius Jr is the frontrunner and is poised to become the first recipient of the award to hail from Brazil since 2007.
This is because of his pivotal role in Real Madrid’s triumphs in the Champions League, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup last season.
Furthermore, his Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham is also among the top contenders, while Premier League star Rodri could emerge victorious if Vinicus fails to secure the award, Metro UK reported.
In addition to the Ballon d’Or for best men’s player, the ‘Feminine Ballon d’Or’ is also awarded for the best female players.
Other awards include the ‘Kopa Trophy’, given to the best men’s under-21 player, the ‘Yashin Trophy’ for best goalkeeper, and the men’s and women’s ‘Coach of the Year Trophy’.