The award for the best footballer is upon us! The Ballon d’Or will be awarded on Monday, 12th December. Here’s all that you need to know about the upcoming event.
What is the Ballon d’Or?
Ballon d’Or is French for ‘Golden Ball’, an award given out annually to the best football player on the planet. A shortlist of the best players is created, out of the the top three are nominated to win the award. Lionel Messi won the FIFA Ballon d’Or last year.
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The FIFA Ballon d’Or broke up after a few years of merging (2010-2015), and now two awards will be given out: The FIFA world player of the year AND the Ballon d’Or (Which is presented by France Football)
Where is it held this year?
The FIFA Ballon d’Or was always held in Zurich, Switzerland, but following the split, the Ballon d’Or will be held in Paris, France this year.
When is it held?
The Ballon d’Or winner will be announced at 12:30 AM (Tuesday) in India, 7: PM UK Time, 2:00 PM in Washington, DC and 8:00 PM in France. The other awards will be given out from 5:30 PM France time.
Also Read: Ballon d'Or award: Complete list of all Ballon d'Or winners (1956-2015)
Who are the contenders?
The ones who look most poised to win it this year are:
#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona)
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)
#3 Antoine Griezmann (France/Atletico Madrid)
Lionel Messi won the award last year but Ronaldo has a better chance of winning this year due to winning more major trophies with both club and country.
Who will decide the winner?
This year, a panel of selected journalists will vote for Ballon d’Or, unlike previous years. Earlier, football coaches and players voted for the best footballer on the planet.
Where can I watch the program?
The program may be shown on some of the major sports channels, but it has not been confirmed yet.
Follow the Ballon d’Or Live Blog HERE
Also Read: 5 reasons Lionel Messi should win the Ballon d'Or
