August 8 – France Football has announced its Ballon d’Or nominees ahead of the ceremony in Paris next month, with Paris Saint-Germain players dominating the 30-man shortlist.
The announcement means that it is impossible for last year’s winner Rodri to reclaim the award after he was not included, having spent almost the entire season injured.
It is arguably the most open men’s Ballon d’Or race in years, but PSG and France forward Ousmane Dembele is the favourite to claim the coveted award in September due to his starring role in the capital club’s treble-winning campaign.
He faces stiff competition from Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Mohamed Salah, who also enjoyed fruitful seasons.
Dembele and his UEFA Champions League-winning PSG teammates have the most nominations for the award with nine – equalling a record set by Real Madrid in 2018.
La Liga winners Barcelona have four nominees, whilst Premier League champions Liverpool matched that with four of their own, including the newly-signed Florian Wirtz.
The KOPA trophy, given to the top young talent of the season, is expected to head in the direction of either PSG starlet Desire Doue, who scored twice in the final to help his team to the UEFA Champions League title, or current holder Yamal. The winger’s ranking in the senior title could impact how people vote for him in the junior honour.
The Yashin Award was created to honour the best goalkeeper due to their slim chance of ever being picked for the Ballon d’Or, somewhat ironically named after the only shot stopper to ever pick up the main prize, Lev Yashin. Liverpool’s Alisson and PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma are the leading candidates in that department.
There’s also the small matter of the Johan Cruyff Trophy for the best head coach. With Luis Enrique steering PSG out of their Galactico era and onto a treble-winning campaign, it’s likely he will walk home with the award.
Men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist:
Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid CF)
Ousmane Dembélé (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
Désiré Doué (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands, FC Internazionale Milano)
Serhou Guirassy (Guinea, Borussia Dortmund)
Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden, Sporting Clube de Portugal/Arsenal FC)
Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain)
Harry Kane (England, FC Bayern München)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, SSC Napoli/Paris Saint-Germain)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland, FC Barcelona)
Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina, Liverpool FC)
Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, FC Internazionale Milano)
Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid CF)
Scott McTominay (Scotland, SSC Napoli)
Nuno Mendes (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
João Neves (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
Michael Olise (France, FC Bayern München)
Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea FC)
Pedri (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Raphinha (Brazil, FC Barcelona)
Declan Rice (England, Arsenal FC)
Fabián Ruiz (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool FC)
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool FC)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid CF)
Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer 04 Leverkusen/Liverpool FC)
Lamine Yamal (Spain, FC Barcelona)
Yashin Award Nominees:
Alisson Becker (Brazil, Liverpool FC)
Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al-Hilal)
Lucas Chevalier (France, LOSC Lille)
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, Real Madrid CF)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa FC)
Jan Oblak (Slovenia, Club Atlético de Madrid)
David Raya (Spain, Arsenal FC)
Matz Sels (Belgium, Nottingham Forest FC)
Yann Sommer (Switzerland, FC Internazionale Milano)
Johan Cruyff award nominees:
Antonio Conte (Napoli)
Luis Enrique (PSG)
Hansi Flick (FC Barcelona)
Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)
Arne Slot (Liverpool)
KOPA trophy:
Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona)
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille)
Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain)
Estevao (Palmeiras/Chelsea)
Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth/Real Madrid)
Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
Rodrigo Mora (Porto)
Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)
Kenan Yildiz (Juventus)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1754651891labto1754651891ofdlr1754651891owedi1754651891sni@g1754651891niwe.1754651891yrrah1754651891
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