Lamine Yamal is among the frontrunners for football’s most prestigious individual accolade this year, having played a key role in Barcelona’s La Liga triumph over their arch-rivals. ..Continue Reading
He’ll be up against strong contenders like Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele, who was instrumental in securing both the Ligue 1 title and the club’s historic first UEFA Champions League win.
Real Madrid also have notable names in the running, including Kylian Mbappe, who registered 44 goals and five assists across 59 matches last season.
Despite this, the 15-time European champions are expected to skip the Ballon d’Or gala for the second consecutive year.
Last season, Madrid officials reportedly boycotted the event after Vinicius Junior was overlooked for the top honour.
Rodri, representing Manchester City and Spain, claimed the award following an exceptional year at both club and international level.
Madrid didn’t leave empty-handed, though—Carlo Ancelotti was recognised as coach of the year, and the club itself earned the title of club of the year.
This time, their absence is said to be partly due to fixture congestion. They’re scheduled to play Levante in La Liga on Tuesday evening.
Still, Flick insists that all clubs should make an appearance to honour the winners.
“It’s very important to be there and show respect to the winners,” he has been quoted as saying by The Touchline.
Madrid currently lead the La Liga standings ahead of their upcoming match against Levante. Xabi Alonso’s men hold a two-point advantage over Barcelona.
Other nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or include England skipper Harry Kane and Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay.
Real Madrid players have claimed more Ballon d’Or titles than any other club, with eight individuals winning a combined 12 awards since its inception in 1956.
Barcelona also boast 12 Ballon d’Or wins, though only six of their players earned the honour while representing the club.
Lionel Messi, the iconic Barcelona figure, holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or wins, with eight to his name.
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