The Ballon d’Or is back after missing out last year because of COVID-19 pandemic, which messed up the football season.
The award, presented by French magazine France Football, is one of football’s most prestigious individual prizes. The Ballon d'Or, which started out as an award for the best European player, began to include non-European players who played in Europe in 1995. It went global only in 2007.
France Football chooses journalists, national team coaches and captains to choose their top five players of the year from a shortlist of 30 names that is decided by the magazine's editorial team. Based on the rankings, the chosen players earn six, four, three, two and one points.
Among the favourites to win the revered award this year, are familiar names like Lionel Messi, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski and Liverpool star Mo Salah.
Messi, in fact, won the last Ballon d'Or - his sixth trophy overall - and is expected to make it seven, after an eventful year which saw him leave his boyhood club Barcelona to join PSG.
Lewandowski, on the other hand, will be hoping to win it this time, after he was robbed of a genuine chance last year because of the pandemic. There’s Chelsea midfielder Jorginho, too, who helped his team win Champions League and was instrumental in Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph.
The winners of men's Ballon d'Or, women's Ballon d'Or along with the Kopa Trophy (best performing player under the age of 21) and Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper) will be announced on Tuesday.
When will the 2021 Ballon d’Or winner be announced?
The winner will be announced on November 29, at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, with the ceremony starting around 1am IST (November 30).
How to watch the 2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony
French outlet L’Equipe will be streaming the ceremony live on their YouTube channel. The ceremony will be live on the Star network in India.
The live streaming of the Ballon d’Or 2021 award ceremony will be available on Hotstar.
Who are the nominees for the Ballon d'Or 2021 award?
Men: Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund), Jorginho (Chelsea), Harry Kane (Tottenham), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Gerard Moreno (Villarreal), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain), Pedri (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Phil Foden (Manchester City).
Women: Sandra Panos (Barcelona), Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal), Ellen White (Manchester City), Pernille Harder (Chelsea), Sam Mewis (North Carolina Courage), Wendie Renard (Lyon), Marie-Antoinette Katoto (PSG), Stina Blackstenius (Hacken), Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea), Sam Kerr (Chelsea), Alexia Putellas(Barcelona), Kadidiatou Diani (PSG), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Jennifer Hermoso (Barcelona), Christiane Endler (Lyon), Christine Sinclair (Thorns FC), Ashley Lawrence (PSG), Irene Paredes (Barcelona), Jessie Fleming (Chelsea), Lieke Martens (Barcelona).
