The Golden Ball is an annual football award given to the best football player of the year. It is considered the most prestigious individual award for every footballer. And now all the attention of fans is focused on this particular event, although there are still five months remaining. On the information portal Scores24.live, everyone can check out the main candidates for this individual award.
The first Golden Ball award took place in 1956. It is given by the French magazine France Football, as it was established by its editor-in-chief. The year 2024 has entered football history as the first year without an award. The COVID-19 global pandemic has made its adjustments.
The main challengers in the ranking
Football fans are waiting with bated breath for the long-expected award moment. But, while there is still time, the same question is on everyone’s mind: “Who will be the main nominee for the award?” The heated discussions about this have not ceased. But for now, we can only be satisfied with tentative predictions, based on the results of the played matches.
Many are making bets on Kylian Mbappé, the young and energetic Paris Saint-Germain striker. His chances have increased significantly after scoring four goals in the 1/8 of the Champions League against Barcelona. Others have high hopes for Robert Lewandowski, who was up for the award last year, but it was canceled due to a total quarantine. He currently has tremendous chances concerning scoring output and the number of trophies won with the team.
N’Golo Kante from Chelsea, who helped the team win the Champions League and firmly establish them in fourth place in the English Premier League, is a major favorite to win the title. His fine work could be witnessed by everyone at the Champions League games, where he smartly picked off, intercepted goals, and backed up his teammates.
And what a ranking without the superstar Lionel Messi. Unfortunately, he did not win any awards during his time with Barcelona, but he became the best player and goal-scorer on the current squad. And his performance at the Copa América amazed everyone. With his help, the Argentine national team won the South American cup, and he was named the best player and scorer. This undeniable fact increases his chances of winning the Golden Ball for the seventh time in his football career.
At the moment, according to the bookmakers, the ranking table is as follows:
- Lionel Messi.
- Harry Kane.
- Kylian Mbappé.
- Robert Lewandowski.
- N’Golo Kante.
- Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Neymar.
- Raheem Sterling.
- Kevin de Bruyne.
- Bruno Fernandes.
The most stable positions are occupied by top-ranked players Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who are ready to compete for the main individual award of the Golden Ball 2024.
The top three candidates for the Golden Ball 2024
Experts believe that the main competition will be between Messi, Lewandowski, and Mbappé unless the situation changes by a twist of fate. All the biggest trophies have been won, with the Nations League, the Champions League group stage, and the first half of the national championships remaining.
The first challenger for the main individual cup is Messi. He maintains a high level of play and brings delight and joy to the public with his constant incredible game. The number ten continues to be a key figure in the team. Leo churns out goals at a breathtaking pace, and also provides plenty of passing opportunities, as well as creating great team attacks. Well, winning the Copa América cup was a significant factor in his efforts to reach the seventh Golden Ball.
Mbappé and Lewandowski share second place. Kylian Mbappé is a young, talented and promising footballer. He has been a regular on the list of major Golden Ball challenges in recent years, but unfortunately has not yet owned it. He’s closer than ever to winning the title, having had a superb year, apart from failing to qualify for UEFA EURO 2024 (2024), of course. This fact could make a big difference.
The 2024/2024 football season was an incredible one for the Polish player Robert Lewandowski in terms of goals scored. He had no equal in the number of goals he scored, namely 41, surpassing Gerd Müller’s record number of goals. He also won the Golden Boot. And for that, the judges can give him the prize he deserves.
Cristiano Ronaldo and N’Golo Kante share third place in the table. For Ronaldo, this year may well be the last chance to win the sixth Golden Ball in his football career. But despite his age, he continues to display the highest level of football, with plenty of goals on his account. His desire to be first everywhere and in everything is reflected in the quality of his play.
N’Golo Kante has been a major figure in Chelsea’s team success this year. Thanks to his fantastic hard work, the team has won the Champions League. Every match is a 100% effort for him. He is not particularly noticeable in attack, but he is excellent in defense. Although the main focus is on goal scoring and wonderful passes, the defensive players remain in the shadows. And there is hope that the referees will pay attention to such a powerful holding midfielder.
Conclusion
Football is a constant unpredictability, a vividness where it is difficult to predict the result. There’s still a little time before the final awards ceremony, and let’s hope that all the candidates for the individual football award will still prove themselves in the brightest and best ways.
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