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- The 2024 Ballon d'Or process will officially begin in September when France Football release a list of nominees
- As things stand, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham are the perceived frontrunners to succeed Lionel Messi
- Legit.ng breaks down how the Ballon d'Or process works, from the release of the nominees to the announcement of the winner
The Ballon d'Or is undoubtedly the most lucrative individual award a player can win. It is an award set aside for the selected few who were above the rest in a season.
For the first time in over 15 years, the award will be determined with neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo playing for a European club.
Source: Getty Images
This, in essence, opens up a spot for another player to win the award. Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham have been tipped as the favourites for the 2024 Ballon Award. Spain's Euro 2024-winning midfielder, Rodri, is also forcing his way into the conversation.
But how does the vote work? What are the intrigues that go on behind the scenes until the winner is announced at a glitzy ceremony, often at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris? Legit.ng delves into it.
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Which awards will be given at Ballon d'Or 2024 ceremony?
For starters, a total of 10 awards will be given out at the ceremony after the organisers added the Men's and Women's Coach of the Year through a partnership with the Group Amaury, as explained on the UEFA website.
The other awards in play include the Men’s Ballon d’Or, Women's Ballon d'Or, Kopa Trophy (best player under 21 years of age), Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper), Gerd Müller Trophy (top scorer in previous season), Men’s Club of the Season Trophy, Women’s Club of the Season Trophy and Sócrates Award for humanitarian work.
How the Ballon d'Or voting process works
The process begins with the editors of France Football unveiling a list of 30 nominees for each main category. This year's list will be released on September 4, ahead of the main ceremony on October 28.
Ballon d'Or point system
Afterwards, the magazine collects votes from one journalist each of the top-100 ranked nations by FIFA.
The journalists pick five footballers from the nominees' list of 30 in descending order of merit in that; their first pick will get six points, the second one gets four points, the third gets three points, the fourth gets two points, and the number five gets one point.
How is a tie-breaker solved in Ballon d'Or?
Afterwards, all the points are collated, and the winner is the nominee with the most points. If two number ones are tied on points, then the player who gets the most number 1 picks is declared the winner.
The process is the same as the Women's Ballon d'Or, but only 50 journalists from the top-ranked nations are used. The same jury that decides the men's Ballon d'Or votes on the Yashin trophy, while the former winners of the award vote for the Kopa Trophy.
How many votes did Messi get in 2023 Ballon d'Or?
In the 2023 vote, Messi beat Erling Haaland of Manchester City with 105 votes after garnering 462 points from the jury compared to the treble winner's 357, as reported by GOAL.
Surprising Ballon d'Or candidates
Legit.ng has also compiled a list of the surprising 2024 Ballon d'Or candidates.
Bellingham and Vinicius Junior might lead the fray, but a couple of other potential names have since emerged to succeed Messi.
Rodri's MVP performance at Euro 2024 has seen many people front his bid to become the first Premier League player to win the award since Ronaldo in 2008.
Source: Legit.ng
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