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The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place in Paris tonight when the world’s best footballers gather at the Theatre du Chatelet for a night of awards and celebration.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham as well as Manchester City’s Rodri are being widely tipped as frontrunners for the men’s award in a year where neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo have been nominated.
But there was drama before the ceremony as Real Madrid’s delegation cancelled their trip to Paris at the last minute, after “leaked” results of the Ballon d’Or showed Rodri had received the most votes.
The female prize, named the Ballon d’Or Feminin, was won by Spain and Barcelona forward Aitana Bonmati last year and she is the favourite to lift the trophy again and become a two-time winner after 26 goals and 18 assists en route to winning the Champions League, three domestic trophies and the Nations League.
Two new awards will be introduced this year, with Men’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year joining a full slate of awards on an evening where legends of the game are celebrated.
Follow all the latest updates from the Ballon d’Or ceremony with our live blog below:
Vinicius Junior deserved to win the Ballon d’Or – his problem was that so did Rodri
Although Rodri became just the second Spanish men’s player to lift the Ballon d’Or, the country’s premier club was barely anywhere to be seen. Despite more than one award going to the club or individuals within, nobody representing Real Madrid appeared in Paris as a dismal few days for the European champions got worse. At Manchester City, that knowledge added to the satisfaction of a worthy first ever club winner. The relationship between the clubs, especially at that media level, is poor.
It all illustrates the increasing intrigue around an award that is supposed to be so singular, in rewarding football’s dominant individual player in a calendar year. And then some.
France Football had nevertheless made a point of telling media that the Ballon d’Or decision absolutely wouldn’t leak, only for Vinicius Junior’s camp to get wind on Sunday evening that he wouldn’t be winning the award. Connections in the Spanish football federation were stating that Rodri had won it. The player himself was said to be extremely confident, and talking about it to teammates.
It was a shock to Madrid, since they had been so confident their odds-on favourite was going to win it that they were preparing to send a party of 50 to the ceremony in Paris, with a five-hour broadcast planned for their official television station. Club president Florentino Perez immediately scrapped all of that on finding out.
Miguel Delaney with the story of tonight’s Ballon d’Or – and why Rodri was a worthy winner
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 22:14
Rodri wins Ballon d’Or as Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati claims Feminin award second year running
Aitana Bonmati has won the Ballon d’Or Feminin award for the second year running, while Rodri pipped Vinicius Junior to the men’s Ballon d’Or award in a surprising outcome at the 2024 edition of the ceremony.
Full report:
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 22:01
Ballon d’Or LIVE
Rodri explains a bit about the development of his game and says he’ll celebrate tonight with those who have supported him in the bad moments.
He also adds he’s progressing well with his injury.
Vinicius (second) and Bellingham (third) are confirmed as the podium finishers.
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 21:58
Ballon d’Or LIVE
Rodri is helped up to take his trophy and then Drogba has to help him over to the microphone.
“Incredible night for me, I’ve got so many people thank,” he starts – and reveals it’s the eighth anniversary for he and his partner. Rodri’s family are in attendance and he thanks them for their support.
Manchester City, Uefa, Spain and France Football – they all get a mention.
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 21:49
Ballon d’Or LIVE
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner is…
Rodri!
Plenty of shouts of “Vini” in the background, but it’s the Manchester City midfielder who heads up on stage…on crutches of course!
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 21:44
Ballon d’Or LIVE
Four finalists then:
Carvajal, Rodri, Vinicius, Bellingham. Where’s your prediction? We’re about to find out…
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 21:43
Ballon d’Or LIVE
It’s George Weah to present the award – the only African winner of the Ballon d’Or to date.
The Liberian legend, president of his nation from 2018 to 2024, will be reading out the name of the winner.
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 21:36
Ballon d’Or LIVE
So, the four remaining after Erling Haaland placed in fifth are:
Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodri. Three from Real Madrid, one from Manchester City.
Who walks away as a first-time winner tonight? Well only one can walk away technically, three aren’t here…
Anyway, it’s coming up now.
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 21:35
Ballon d’Or LIVE
That’s the women’s award all wrapped up for the night – we’re going through a countdown of the 30 to five now in the men’s and then we’ll be onto the podium and winners there too.
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 21:32
Ballon d’Or LIVE
Caroline Graham Hansen in second and Salma Paralluelo third have just been announced as the podium finishers, making it a clean sweep for Barcelona in this year’s Ballon d’Or voting.
Karl Matchett28 October 2024 21:26
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