Key events
A reminder of the day’s big development – Real Madrid reportedly cancelled their delegation’s trip to Paris, because they believe Vinícius Júnior will not win the men’s award tonight.
If all of this is true, there’s still time for organisers to give Vinícius the award tonight while Real Madrid collectively sulk in Spain. I think even Rodri might see the funny side.
“Regardless of whether Real Madrid may be right about Rodri taking home the prize, isn’t skipping the event a childish lack of respect?” asks Rosario Russo. Oh yes, absolutely it is. If a Real Madrid player wins the award next year, why should anyone else bother to turn up?
Here’s Harry Kane, who has made the top 10. Who knows, he might have been a contender tonight had Bayern beaten Real Madrid, England defeated Spain at the Euros, and Kane had not been worked into the ground by the season’s business end.
Mario Balotelli – who finished 23rd on the 2012 shortlist – has joined Serie A strugglers Genoa. Back in 2016, the Italian said he “could have already won” the Ballon d’Or, but hoped to still win “in the next three years”. Not going to happen now of course, but I’d like to see him shine one more time.
For the first time in 20 editions of the men’s award, neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi are on the 30-player shortlist. Messi (with eight) and Ronaldo (five) have held a grip on this golden ball for the past two decades, but now that era is over.
Plus awards for coaches and clubs …
Men’s club of the year: Leverkusen, Dortmund, Girona, Manchester City, Real Madrid.
Women’s club of the year: Barcelona, Chelsea, Lyon, NJ/NY Gotham, Paris Saint-Germain.
Men’s coach of the year: Xabi Alonso (Leverkusen), Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Luis de la Fuente (Spain), Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Lionel Scaloni (Argentina).
Women’s coach of the year: Sonia Bompastor (Lyon/Chelsea), Arthur Elias (Corinthians/Brazil), Jonatan Giráldez (Barcelona), Emma Hayes (Chelsea/USA); Filipa Patão (Benfica), Sarina Wiegman (England).
Some of the other awards already have shortlists announced, including these prizes for players:
Kopa Trophy (best young player – men’s award only): Pau Cubarsí, Alejandro Garnacho, Arda Güler, Karim Konaté, Kobbie Mainoo, João Neves, Savinho, Mathys Tel, Lamine Yamal, Warren Zaïre-Emery.
Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper – men’s award only): Diogo Costa, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Gregor Kobel, Andriy Lunin, Mike Maignan, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Emiliano Martínez, Unai Simón, Yann Sommer, Ronwen Williams.
The men’s list continues with Nos 15-11: Nico Williams, Ademola Lookman, Dani Olmo, Florian Wirtz and Phil Foden. A quality quintet there, and no mistake.
The good news for Roma is that they have two players on the top 30 shortlist. The bad news is they finished joint-29th (i.e. bottom) of that list – and neither played for them last season.
Another early arrival at the ceremony is Marcel Desailly. As good an excuse as any to recommend Jonathan Liew’s interview with the France, Milan and Chelsea legend.
Men’s live ranking
11 Phil Foden (Man City/England)
12 Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen/Germany)
13 Dani Olmo (Barcelona/Spain)
14 Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/Nigeria)
15 Nico Williams (Athletic/Spain)
16 Granit Xhaka (Leverkusen/Switzerland)
17 Federico Valverde (Real Madrid/Uruguay)
18 Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa/Argentina)
19 Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal/Norway)
20 Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter/Turkey)
21 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal/England)
22 Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid/Germany)
23 Rúben Dias (Man City/Portugal)
24 William Saliba (Arsenal/France)
25 Cole Palmer (Chelsea/England)
26 Declan Rice (Arsenal/England)
27 Vitinha (PSG/Portugal)
28 Alejandro Grimaldo (Leverkusen/Spain)
=29 Mats Hummels (Roma/Germany)
=29 Artem Dovbyk (Roma/Ukraine)
Remaining nominees: Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Toni Kroos, Lautaro Martínez, Kylian Mbappé, Rodri, Vinícius Júnior, Lamine Yamal.
Here comes the Spain manager, Luis de la Fuente, looking like he’s on his way to collect an Oscar after his three-hour historical drama won Best International Feature Film.
“Will an American ever win the Ballon d’Or someday?” asks Kurt Perleberg. Well, Megan Rapinoe has won it, and I’ll wager that another USWNT player will follow suit in the next few years.
As for the men’s award, it’s hard to see it happening in the near future. It seems to me that a lot of US players with big potential end up hitting a ceiling – Gio Reyna, Folarin Balogun, Weston McKennie, even Christian Pulisic. But who knows.
Men’s live ranking
16 Granit Xhaka (Leverkusen/Switzerland)
17 Federico Valverde (Real Madrid/Uruguay)
18 Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa/Argentina)
19 Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal/Norway)
20 Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter/Turkey)
21 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal/England)
22 Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid/Germany)
23 Rúben Dias (Man City/Portugal)
24 William Saliba (Arsenal/France)
25 Cole Palmer (Chelsea/England)
26 Declan Rice (Arsenal/England)
27 Vitinha (PSG/Portugal)
28 Alejandro Grimaldo (Leverkusen/Spain)
=29 Mats Hummels (Roma/Germany)
=29 Artem Dovbyk (Roma/Ukraine)
Remaining nominees: Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Toni Kroos, Ademola Lookman, Lautaro Martínez, Kylian Mbappé, Dani Olmo, Rodri, Vinícius Júnior, Nico Williams, Florian Wirtz, Lamine Yamal.
There are some big names missing from the women’s top 30 – including Naomi Girma, Keira Walsh, Kadidiatou Diani and Olga Carmona. Tonight’s ceremony also won’t award a Kopa or Yashin award to a female player, and is taking place on the eve of Euro 2025 qualifiers. Is the Ballon d’Or really treating the women’s game equally?
Women’s award live ranking:
11 Patri Guijarro (Barcelona/Spain)
12 Barbra Banda (Orlando/Zambia)
13 Lauren James (Chelsea/England)
14 Ada Hegerberg (Lyon/Norway)
15 Khadija Shaw (Man City/Jamaica)
16 Tabitha Chawinga (PSG/Malawi)
17 Alyssa Naeher (Chicago/USA)
18 Gabi Portilho (Corinthians/Brazil)
19 Giulia Gwinn (Bayern/Germany)
20 Lucy Bronze (Chelsea/England)
21 Mayra Ramírez (Chelsea/Colombia)
22 Glódis Viggósdóttir (Bayern/Iceland)
23 Tarciane (Houston/Brazil)
24 Lea Schüller (Bayern/Germany)
25 Sjœke Nüsken (Chelsea/Germany)
26 Yui Hasegawa (Man City/Japan)
27 Manuela Giugliano (Roma/Italy)
28 Lauren Hemp (Man City/England)
29 Ewa Pajor (Wolfsburg/Poland)
30 Grace Geyoro (PSG/France)
Remaining nominees: Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey, Caroline Graham Hansen , Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Salma Paralluelo, Alexia Putellas, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Lindsey Horan.
Here are the baubles being handed out at the Théâtre du Châtelet this evening:
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Men’s Ballon d’Or
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Women’s Ballon d’Or
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Kopa Trophy (best U21 player)
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Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper)
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Gerd Müller Trophy (top goalscorer)
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Men’s Club of the Year
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Women’s Club of the Year
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Men’s Coach of the Year
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Women’s Coach of the Year
Here’s more on the day’s big news, and the 30-player long lists which were announced in September. The countdowns have begun, so we’ll bring you the latest asap …
Preamble
Ballon d’Or. Ballon d’Or! Ballon d’Or!!! … Ballon d’Or? Ballon d’Or?! Ballon d’Or??? The biggest night in football for those who refuse to accept that this is fundamentally a team sport, and that every player on earth (yes, even Cristiano Ronaldo) would swap it to win the World Cup, is here – but before the ceremony in Paris has even kicked off, there’s been big drama.
Ever since the moment that caused Rio Ferdinand to lose the run of himself, Real Madrid baller Vinícius Júnior has been the hot favourite to win the men’s award. On Monday, though, speculative reports that he could be pipped to the prize by Manchester City midfield maestro Rodri soon gathered serious momentum.
It is now thought that Real have thrown their collective toys from the pram, and will not be sending anyone to Paris for tonight’s big shindig. Rodri, on the other hand, is here on crutches, which may tell its own story. Or there may be another twist in the tale, with France Football’s countdown of the top 30 now under way.
The women’s award is also being dished out tonight, with Aitana Bonmatí the favourite to retain her crown and continue Barcelona’s dominance after Alexia Putellas won it in 2021 and 2022. Another Barça player, Caroline Graham Hansen, could be a contender alongside Mariona Caldentey, who left Catalonia to join Arsenal in the summer.