Evening Standard
·28 octobre 2024
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Yahoo sportsEvening Standard
·28 octobre 2024
Rodri now the favourite as Real Madrid decide not to send any players or staff to Paris
Ballon d’Or 2024 - LIVE!
A dramatic night is ahead in Paris, as football’s most coveted individual prizes are handed out and a first-time winner of the Ballon d’Or is guaranteed. The award has been dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo over the past two decades, but neither have made the shortlist this time, with Luka Modric and Karim Benzema also not included.
Vinicius Junior had been the firm favourite to win, having led Real Madrid to Champions League and LaLiga glory last season, but reports suggest the Brazilian could miss out. It is also claimed that Madrid will not be sending anywhere to the ceremony after learning their man was unlikely to win. Manchester City midfielder Rodri is now the favourite.
Previous winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas are among those nominated for the Ballon d'Or Feminin, while Manchester United duo Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are in the running for the Kopa Trophy, given to the best men’s under-21 player. There are plenty other awards to be handed out too, and you can follow all the action from tonight’s ceremony with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below!
Live updates
13 seconds ago
Only Real Madrid have more players nominated for the men’s Ballon d’Or than Arsenal.
Four players for the Gunners made the 30-man shortlist, and it’s Martin Odegaard who has just about got the better of his team-mates.
26th - Declan Rice 24th - William Saliba 21st - Bukayo Saka 19th - Martin Odegaard
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
7 minutes ago
One of the many awards to look out for tonight is the Kopa Trophy, given to the best U21 men’s player in the game.
Two Manchester United players on the shortlist, but Lamine Yamal has to be the favourite.
AP
15 minutes ago
Flying through the rankings for the Ballon d'Or Feminin.
In terms of the Lionesses, it’s Lauren Hemp in 28th, Lucy Bronze 20th... and now Lauren James 13th.
The Chelsea star is only 23-year-old... she’s going to be on this shortlist for many, many years to come.
26 minutes ago
Right, back to the rankings.
Antonio Rudiger next up, in 22nd, and then it’s Bukayo Saka.
The Arsenal star was nominated for the first time last year when he was ranked 24th... it’s three better for him this time.
Would have been significantly higher than that had Arsenal got over the line and won the Premier League.
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
33 minutes ago
Whatever happens tonight, we will get a first-time winner.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are not on the shortlist, having won it 13 times between them since 2008.
Karim Benzema and Luka Modric the only ones to break that dominance, but neither of them have been nominated this time.
42 minutes ago
It’s one of the biggest nights in the football calendar, but many of the best players in the women’s game will not be in attendance.
That includes the likes of Lucy Bronze and Lauren Hemp, who are currently on England duty ahead of tomorrow night’s match against South Africa.
Players voiced their frustration last year that the ceremony was taking place during a women’s international break, but a change has not been made this time.
“These barriers being put up in front of us again is very frustrating,” Bronze said last week.
“And not only frustrating that it’s happened, but it obviously happened last year. And it’s like is anybody listening?
“It’s quite alarming that it’s literally a window where everybody goes all over the place. It just seems quite inconsiderate in a way.”
Chelsea FC via Getty Images
53 minutes ago
William Saliba made the 30-man shortlist for the first time this season.
The Arsenal defender has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, if not the world. He’s ranked 24th.
Next up is Ruben Dias in 23rd - he was 30th last year. He’ll be right up there by 2027 at this rate...
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
59 minutes ago
Moving swiftly through these rankings.
In 26th it’s Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, who has hit the ground running in north London since arriving from West Ham.
And Cole Palmer is ranked 25th, after a sensational first season at Chelsea.
Feels like he’d be much higher on just his individual performances, but Chelsea’s struggles mean he is still a fair bit down the rankings.
AP
1 hour ago
And over on the men’s side...
Mats Hummels and Artem Dovbyk are ranked in a tie for 29th.
The pair are now team-mates at Roma, but it was their performances last season that got them shortlisted.
Hummels reached the Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund, while Dovbyk finished as top score in LaLiga for Girona.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo is 28th, just behind PSG midfielder Vitinha.
Getty Images
1 hour ago
Still a few hours to go until the ceremony gets underway, but the rankings for the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or have started to be released.
Players from 30th to 21st have been confirmed for the women’s award, with England winger Lauren Hemp in 28th.
Man City team-mate Yui Hasegawa is 26th, while Chelsea striker Mayra Ramirez has come 21st in the rankings.