IT’S Ballon d’Or season, and the nominees for the most prestigious award in football have been revealed.
Thirty names have been announced on the male shortlist, with five Premier League stars included and Harry Kane is the favourite to land the golden ball.
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Kane being the favourite feels apt, as the awards will take place in London this year on the 26th October, for the first time in history as they are usually held in Paris.
The men’s shortlist includes five players from the Premier League, with Declan Rice, William Saliba and Gabriel representing the Champions, Erling Haaland representing Manchester City, and Bruno Fernandes flying the flag for the red side of Manchester.
Former Chelsea star Marc Cucurella and previous winner Rodri are also nominated, with the latter also one of the favourites to win it.
It is one of the most open Ballon d’Or races we have seen in years.
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There is no standout candidate, with the World Cup and Champions League campaigns playing a huge part in the voting, as well as looking at players who have had absurd individual campaigns, like Kane.
Lionel Messi will be in the running to collect a record NINTH trophy, having been nominated for his 17th Ballon d’Or this year.
He led Argentina to the World Cup final once more, and had a stunning international campaign as well as a good season for Inter Miami.
Several PSG players could also challenge him, including last year’s winner Ousmane Dembele, and the only player to win both the Champions League AND the World Cup – Fabian Ruiz.
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Arguably PSG’s best player last season, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia should also be in the running, but not participating in the World Cup with Georgia could hold him back.
World Cup winners Rodri and Lamine Yamal will also be high up in the final rankings, with the latter also starring as Barcelona won the league title.
You can also not rule out Kylian Mbappe, who scored heaps of goals for Real Madrid and for France at the World Cup, but could be held back by a lack of trophies.
Then there is Kane, who won multiple domestic trophies, a pretty good World Cup with England as they reached the semi-finals, and one of the best individual campaigns that the world has ever seen with a stunning 73 goals – only ever beaten by Messi in his prime.
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England stars Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood are among the 30 candidates for the Women’s Ballon d’Or, as well as WSL stars Mariona Caldentey, Kerstin Casparij, Yui Hasegawa, Melvine Malard, Manaka Matsukubo, Vivienne Miedema, Alexia Putellas, and Khadija Shaw.
Aitana Bonmati, who has won the award for the past three years is absent from the 30-person shortlist, after missing a large chunk of last season with a fractured fibula for Barcelona.
Her former Barca teammate Alexia Putellas, who now plays for the London City Lionesses, is now the favourite for the trophy having scored 22 goals and bagging 12 assists and winning the Nations League, Liga F, Supercopa de Espana, Copa de la Reina, and the Champions League.
As for the Kopa Trophy Lamine Yamal is among the nominees and could win a THIRD consecutive award.
Joining him in the nominees list are Ibrahim Maza, Eli Junior Kroupi, Warren Zaire-Emery, Lennart Karl, Yan Diomande, Ayoub Bouaddi, Karim Alajbegovic, Johan Manzambi and Pau Cubarsi.
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