Ballon D'or awards of 2024, Spanish dominance! 🇪🇸
The France Football awards were last night (Monday, Oct 28th), and the surprise is a big one!
The France Football awards is the most prestige award ceremony in the world of not only football, but sport itself. You could say these are the Oscars of football. In fact, this was said, by none other than Hollywood legend, Natalie Portman, who attended the ceremony yesterday, and was the one to award the Women's Ballon D'or trophy, to Spain's and Barça superstar, Aitana Bonmatí.
Picture posted last night to x.com from the official account of the Ballon D'or; Portman on the left, Bonmatí on the right
Spain swept the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony, making history by taking home the top awards across most categories. Rodri, Manchester City’s midfield maestro, claimed his first Ballon d’Or, winning by the skin of his teeth Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, who many saw as a favourite due to his season of incredible performances. This ranking stirred up some debate, especially considering Vinícius’s role in lifting Real Madrid to title contention.
picture taken from goal.com; Vincius and Rodri
In the Ballon d’Or Féminin category, Aitana Bonmatí won her second title, ensuring her place as one of the top players in women’s football history and a key figure for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Her award symbolises the rising power and global recognition of women’s football, adding to the event’s importance as it showcased top-tier female athletes on a par with their male counterparts.
The Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best under-21 player, went to Spain’s Lamine Yamal, the young Barça forward who has captivated audiences with his skill and maturity on the field. He makes the 3rd Spanish player to win an individual award for 2024.
KOPA winner, Lamine Yamal, picture from Marca.com
The Sócrates Award, honoring contributions to social justice, was awarded to Jenni Hermoso for her efforts in raising awareness about sexual abuse, especially in light of the controversy surrounding the unwanted kiss incident with former Spanish Federation President Luis Rubiales. Her truly deserved trophy saw the 4th Spanish player to win an individual award last night.
Socrates award winner, Jennifer Hermoso, picture from Marca.com
The Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper went to Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez, who won it for the second time in a row after a more than impressive season with Aston Villa. The Argentinean, who's won it back in 2023 due to his amazing performance in the Men's World Cup in Qatar, has kept his great form throughout 2024, including winning the Copa America with the national team, and a historic season for Aston Villa, finishing top 4 of the premier league and securing Champions League football.
As sports evolve, the Ballon d’Or remains the golden standard. But as we celebrate football, it begs the question: will any other sport or league develop awards with a comparable level of prestige? Given the rise of sports like women’s football, which has gained its own Ballon d’Or category, could we see similar accolades emerge in other sports, honouring talent and cultural impact on a larger scale? The 2024 ceremony serves as a reminder that recognition on this level can not only honour excellence but also inspire entire sports to grow.
The world will be watching next year to see if this expansion and equality in sports continues – maybe one day, we’ll even see new “Oscars” of sport emerge, raising the bar across the world.
Itai Gan
Amazing article, as a football fan, I love to read this articles, congratulations Itai.
ReplyDeleteThe 2024 Ballon d'Or awards highlighted Spanish dominance, with Rodri, Aitana Bonmatí, and Lamine Yamal taking winning different trophies. Bonmatí's win highlights the rise of women's football.
Do you think this level of recognition will inspire similar awards in other sports?
Thanks, Guillem! We believe the success of Spanish players in the Ballon d'Or could inspire more recognition for athletes in other sports. As women's football grows, other sports might also start giving awards that highlight talent and achievements, which can motivate more young athletes to pursue their dreams.
DeleteThis article perfectly captures the excitement and prestige of the Ballon d'Or awards, highlighting the achievements of stars like Aitana Bonmatí and Rodri. The inclusion of Natalie Portman and the recognition of Jenni Hermoso add a special and human touch to the event. It also invites reflection on the future of awards in other sports. Without a doubt, it’s an inspiring read on football's impact both on and off the field.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alex! We appreciate your thoughts on the Ballon d'Or awards. The blend of sports and celebrity really highlights football's cultural significance. We hope this inspires other sports to create similar celebrations that honor both athletes and their contributions to society.
DeleteWhat a great night for Spanish football! 🇪🇸 Seeing players like Rodri, Aitana Bonmatí, and young Lamine Yamal take home these trophies is an enormous source of pride. The fact that Spain claimed so many awards in a single edition shows the level of talent and dedication in Spanish football across all categories.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pau! It really was a great night for Spanish football. Seeing Rodri, Aitana Bonmatí, and Lamine Yamal win shows how much talent and effort there is in our football. It’s exciting to see Spain doing so well on the world stage.
DeleteThis is an excellent article of a beautiful night in the Théâtre du Châtelet. One magic night for football that will remain in history for Spanish football dominance but also because the drama with Real Madrid. No one from Real showed up in the gala even they received some awards (Best Men club 2024, Ancelotti best coach...) for the unjustice Vini Jr received, how do you think this will affect the club's reputation and what repercussion will it have for the players?
ReplyDeleteReal Madrid's absence from the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, following Vinicius Jr.'s second-place finish, was controversial. This move has led to debates about the club's reputation and its relationships with players and other football organizations. In our honest opinion, it might be perjudicial in the future ceremonies for the club.
DeleteIt is incredible the spanish dominance in the awards last night. How the spanish football has evolved during the last years, individually and collectively. Also is important to consider the unexpected result on the masculin Ballon d'Or, where it seemed that all the cards were cast in favor of the Brazilian winger. Do you think the collecting votes should be more transparent?
ReplyDeleteThe Spanish football success at the awards was indeed impressive! The growth we've seen in Spanish football, both individually and as teams, is amazing. As for the voting process, making it clearer could help fans feel more involved and trust the results more. Transparency can create a fairer environment for all players.
DeleteWHAT A NIGHT FOR SPANISH FOOTBALL! With players like Rodri, Bonmatí, Yamal, and Hermoso leaving an imprint both on and off the field, this year's Ballon d'Or prizes clearly demonstrate Spain's growing football power. Hermoso's Sócrates Award demonstrates the ability of athletes to contribute to social change, while Aitana Bonmatí's victory highlights the growing international significance of women's football. Seeing such a strong dedication to both social impact and physical performance is very exciting. Given this year’s focus on equality, could we see new awards emerge that celebrate similar achievements across other sports?
ReplyDeleteIt really was an incredible night for Spanish football! The success of Rodri, Bonmatí, Yamal, and Hermoso highlights the strength of Spanish football. Hermoso’s award for social change and Bonmatí’s win for women’s football are truly inspiring. With the focus on equality, we may see new awards in other sports that recognize similar contributions, encouraging positive change everywhere.
DeleteNice article, for many years the Ballon d'Or is the unique gala of awards of this type. The night for Spanish football was incredible, do you think that the Ballon d'Or will have troubles as Real Madrid didn't go to the gala? Will we see other sports create awards as prestigious as the Ballon d'Or?
ReplyDeleteThanks Ferran! The Ballon d'Or has been a big deal for years. Real Madrid not attending could affect its image, but it remains a top award. Other sports may create similar awards, especially as they grow in popularity and seek to recognize their stars.
DeleteWow, Spain really dominated the Ballon d'Or this year! It’s awesome to see Spanish players getting the recognition they deserve. Huge congrats to Aitana Bonmatí and Rodri! And Lamine Yamal is just getting started, can’t wait to see what he does next.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan! It’s great to see Spain shining at the Ballon d'Or. Aitana Bonmatí and Rodri truly deserve their awards, and Lamine Yamal's future looks bright. We’re excited to follow his journey as he continues to grow.
DeleteInteresting to read about the Ballon d'Or! There’s always a lot of debate about who deserves these awards. I think it’s tough to give individual prizes in team sports since so much relies on teamwork. Rodri’s win has sparked a lot of talks, but I believe everyone should respect whoever wins, it’s all about sportsmanship right?
ReplyDeleteWe appreciate your thoughts! It’s true that teamwork plays a big role in sports, which can make awards tricky. Rodri’s win shows how important each player is to their team. Respect for all athletes is key, and sportsmanship should always come first!
Delete(Alejandro Redondo) Spain’s historic sweep at the 2024 Ballon d’Or raises an intriguing question: does this dominance suggest that Spanish leagues and players are a step ahead in talent and development, or could it reflect a voting trend that favors certain countries and teams? How do these awards compare with achievements in other highly competitive leagues like the Premier League or Serie A?
ReplyDeleteThanks Alejandro, Spain’s success at the 2024 Ballon d'Or highlights the country’s strong talent and development in football. While voting trends can affect results, the recognition of players like Rodri and Aitana Bonmatí shows their real impact on the game. Other leagues like the Premier League and Serie A have great players too, but this year, Spain clearly stood out.
DeleteWhat an exciting event the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony was! Especially for Spain who dominated the Ballon d'Or with the victory of Aitana Bonmatí and Rodri. I consider Aitana winning the Ballon d'Or to be a great step forward for women's football. Do you think this wave of success for Spanish women's football will inspire more young people to get involved in sport, especially women's football?
ReplyDeleteThanks David, the success of Aitana Bonmatí and the recognition of Spanish women's football can indeed inspire many young people to get involved in sports. With more visibility and role models, we hope to see a boost in participation, making women's football even more popular and encouraging future talent.
DeleteWhat an achievment for spanish football! Spain's victory in the 2024 Ballon d'Or highlights the remarkable skill and advancement of the nation in both men's and women's football. This honor emphasizes not just talent but also the influence of athletes like Jenni Hermoso's social justice advocacy.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jordi, Spain’s success at the 2024 Ballon d’Or really shows how talented the country is in football. It’s great that the recognition goes beyond just skill, like with Jenni Hermoso’s work for social justice. This mix of talent and advocacy is inspiring for both fans and young athletes.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting ceremony as well as the article itself.
ReplyDeleteIt is really good that in a single ceremony they could talk about a lot of subjects not directly involved in football and about what happens in and off the pitch. Also, I think the different types of recognition and the celebrities that attend, it makes it more engaging to watch it until the last minute.
(Alejandro Redondo) Great Article! I thought that Spain is nowdays controling the world football.What do you thing about tha actitud of Real Madrid?
ReplyDeleteThis blog highlights Spain’s impressive sweep at the 2024 Ballon d'Or, with Rodri, Aitana Bonmatí, Lamine Yamal, and Jenni Hermoso all taking home awards. It's amazing to see Spanish football shining across both men’s and women’s categories. Bonmatí’s win is especially significant, showing the growing recognition of women’s football. Hermoso’s award for social justice is a powerful reminder of how athletes can inspire change off the field.
ReplyDeleteDo you think other sports will soon create similar prestigious awards for female athletes, promoting more equality in sports recognition?