Nov 3, 2023 at 12:58 PM Update: 34 minutes ago
UEFA announced a partnership with the organization of the Ballon d’Or on Friday. The European Football Association therefore drops its own election for Player of the Year.
The organization of the Ballon d’Or and UEFA hope to further grow the event through the collaboration. There will be no changes to the name and voting procedure.
However, from next year there will be two extra prizes. Namely the award for the coaches of the year for men and women. That award has already been presented at UEFA and went to Sarina Wiegman for the women for the second year in a row in August.
The new collaboration will immediately put an end to the UEFA awards gala. At the football association’s gala, a Player of the Year was chosen. Last edition that honor went to Erling Haaland and in 2019 Virgil van Dijk won that prize.
Although UEFA will become involved in the Ballon d’Or, UEFA president Aleksandar Ceferin emphasizes that other continents can continue to win prizes. “UEFA is a global brand. More than half of the people who watch our matches are non-European, so it really won’t be a ‘European prize’.”
The most recent Ballon d’Or gala took place last Monday. Lionel Messi received the Golden Ball for the eighth time. Aitana Bonmatí won the women’s race and Oranjeplaaggeest Emiliano Martínez, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior also won prizes.
Beeld: Getty Images
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2023-11-03 11:58:48
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