The stars of world soccer will converge in Paris on Monday for the Ballon d’Or ceremony, with Real Madrid ahead Vinicius Junior rising because the frontrunner for the lads’s award, whereas Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati is the favourite to safe her second consecutive title.
This yr’s males’s shortlist marks a historic second, as it’s the first since 2003 that doesn’t embody Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, who collectively claimed the celebrated honor 13 occasions.
Vinicius, who has taken over Ronaldo’s iconic No. 7 shirt at Real Madrid, is extensively seen because the inheritor obvious to Messi’s throne following a exceptional season by which he clinched each the Spanish championship and the Champions League.
“Vinicius is going to win the Ballon d’Or,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti declared after his participant netted a hat trick in a 5-2 Champions League win in opposition to Borussia Dortmund final week. “And not because of the three goals, but because of his character. He’s extraordinary.”
If the 24-year-old Brazilian confirmed why he’s anticipated to take Messi’s crown in Madrid’s gorgeous comeback midweek, he was much less influential in Saturday’s La Liga Clasico as Real was comprehensively overwhelmed 4-0 by Barcelona.
However, Vinicius’ six objectives final time period have been very important as Madrid lifted their fifteenth Champions League trophy, with the attacker scoring a brace within the semifinal and a purpose within the closing.
Vinicius has additionally change into a figurehead within the combat in opposition to racism after being focused on quite a few events since arriving in Spain in 2018. He earned worldwide help in May 2023 when he confronted Valencia supporters after struggling abuse at their Mestalla Stadium.
The gamers anticipated to problem Vinicius for the Ballon d’Or embody clubmate and England star Jude Bellingham, in addition to Manchester City and Spain’s Euro 2024-winning midfielder Rodri.
Also among the many nominees are purpose machines Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe. Real Madrid proper again Dani Carvajal has an out of doors shot after a season by which he lifted the treble of La Liga, Champions League, and European Championship.
In the Women’s Ballon d’Or, 26-year-old Barcelona and Spain playmaker Bonmati is anticipated to retain the title she claimed for the primary time final season. She was once more the excellent participant in a crew that received its first continental quadruple of home league and cup, Spanish Supercopa, and Champions League.
Barcelona’s dominance within the girls’s sport is mirrored within the variety of nominees the Catalan membership boasts, with attackers Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo thought-about the 2 principal threats to their clubmate Bonmati.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will happen in central Paris on Monday, the place the winners, as determined by a global jury of soccer journalists, will probably be introduced.
Source: www.dailysabah.com