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Ballon d’Or announces women’s and under-21 awards
PARIS, Sept 24, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Ballon d’Or organisers France Football
have announced the creation of awards for the top female footballer and the
best under-21 player in the world.
The awards ceremony for the 63rd edition, created and decided by the
French football magazine, will be held on December 3 in Paris.
While 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain is among the
favourites to succeed Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, a short-list of
female footballers will be in line for the women’s equivalent and the world’s
best under-21 players will vie for the ‘Kopa Trophy’.
As with the Ballon d’Or, the women’s award will be decided by votes from
journalists around the world.
The Kopa Trophy, for the best under-21 player will, however, be decided by
votes from the 33 previous winners of the Ballon d’Or including, among
others, Denis Law, Franz Beckenbauer, Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin,
Marco Van Basten, Zinedine Zidane, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, France
Football said in a statement.
The finalists for all three awards will be unveiled on October 8.
The Ballon d’Or is considered the oldest and most prestigious football
award.
FIFA’s own ‘Best’ award will be presented later on Monday in London, where
Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah and Modric are the contenders.
A World Cup finalist with Croatia and a Champions League winner with Real
Madrid, Modric has already been voted last season’s best player by UEFA.
Since 2008, Ronaldo and Barcelona star Lionel Messi have shared the last
10 Ballons d’Or, winning five apiece.
BSS/AFP/BZC/2020HRS