According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona will be in the spotlight tonight at the 70th Ballon d'Or awards ceremony in London. Barcelona has received 17 nominations across 10 categories and is expected to win multiple awards. This count does not include players who wore the Barcelona jersey last season and have since left, such as Alexia Putellas and Mapi León, now with London City Lionesses, and Ferran Torres, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
Barcelona hopes to return from London with a haul of awards, but the most anticipated are the men's and women's Ballon d'Or awards. In men's football, Yamal will compete against Kane and Mbappé, though it is widely believed the real contest will be between the Barcelona youngster and the Bayern Munich forward. The women's race is clearer, with Alexia Putellas leading other candidates; her former teammate Eva Pajor is the main challenger. If Putellas wins, the player from Mollet will equal Bonmatí's record of three Ballon d'Or awards.
The outcomes of other awards appear more certain. The Kopa Trophy (formerly the Golden Boy award) is highly likely to go to Barcelona. Yamal is the top favorite to win the trophy for the first time, with Cubarsí close behind. In women's football, Vicky López is favored to win, with Clara Cella Jordi as her closest challenger, as previously reported by this newspaper.
As Mundo Deportivo previously reported, Cata Coll will be named Best Women's Goalkeeper. She delivered a spectacular performance in the Champions League final against Olympique Lyonnais Féminin in Oslo, helping her team to a 4-0 victory and capping an excellent season. Barcelona's fourth Champions League title also gives manager Pere Romeu a chance at historic recognition: becoming the first Barcelona coach to win an award at the Ballon d'Or ceremony. His team, after winning the quadruple, is also favored to be named Best Women's Team of the Year.
Spain National Team Also in Focus
Furthermore, the Spanish national team will also be represented at the awards ceremony after winning the European Championship this summer. It appears that De la Fuente will win the Best Men's Coach award, ahead of Luis Enrique, who won the Champions League last season and continues to maintain Paris Saint-Germain's dominance in French football. In fact, this PSG side is also expected to be named Best Men's Team of the Year.
The Best Goalkeeper award could also go to Spain. Unai Simón is currently ahead of Joan García, David Raya, Courtois, and others.
It is worth noting that the men's Ballon d'Or is voted on by 100 professional journalists, and the women's Ballon d'Or by 50 professional journalists, both from countries ranked highly by FIFA. These judges will also decide the awards for Best Men's and Women's Goalkeeper, Best Men's and Women's Coach, and Best Team of the Year. The Kopa Trophy (Best Young Player) is voted on by previous Ballon d'Or winners, while the Best Young Female Player award is decided by a special jury.
