The Paris Opera can now rest. However, on Monday, October 28, she welcomed football’s cream of the crop for the Ballon d’Or awards. Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri took over the main category, as we previously informed you. But the whole ceremony was laced with other laurels. Who was happy? And who didn’t take the prize at all? In the iSport.cz article, look at the list of achievements for the 2023/24 season, in which Spanish football clearly ruled.
Golden Ball – Women
Age: 26 let
Position: pawn shop
Paris showed that Spain currently rules world football. Aitana Bomnatí is nicknamed the female Messi, and her connection to Barcelona couldn’t possibly be stronger. She played in boys’ teams until the age of thirteen before transferring to a big Spanish club. She rode the bus for two hours every day with her father to practice because neither of her parents drive.
She was self-critical since childhood and always wanted more. She defended the Golden Ball, which only compatriot Alexia Putellas managed before her. Women can also enjoy this prestigious poll only from 2018.
Bonmatí was the clear favorite, she became the 2023 world champion and the main driver of Barcelona in the path to trophies of all kinds last season. The dominance of the Blaugranas among women is also indicated by the fact that Barca players took second (Caroline Graham Hansenová) and third (Salma Paralluelová) in the poll.
Coach of the year in the category of men’s teams
Age: 65 let
His great rival was the coach of the Spanish European champions Luis de la Fuente, but in the end the thoughtful Italian won. It is another bead on his long necklace of achievements. He won the Spanish league and the Champions League with Real, he was able to improve the performances of Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior and others.
But he was part of the boycott when the Real Madrid delegation refused to come to Paris because Vinícius did not win the main prize, the Ballon d’Or. Ancelotti did not take the prize. However, this in no way diminishes his coaching qualities, which the whole planet knows about.
Coach of the year in the category of women’s teams
Age: 48 let
If you don’t follow women’s football that much, this name probably doesn’t mean much to you, but the results on the women’s football field could compare this native of London with aces like Ancelotti, Guardiola and others. Last season, she managed to win the English league with the Chelsea women’s team, reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, where the Blues were stopped by the galactic Barcelona. And to make matters worse, she led the American national team to gold medals at the Olympics in Paris.
It was too much, so she finished at Chelsea after a successful season. She spent twelve years there. Now he is dedicated only to the US national team.
Men’s Team of the Year
Winners of the Spanish league and rulers of European football after their triumph in the Champions League. The White Ballet climbed to the podium as a team under the baton of the already mentioned Ancelotti. If we look at how Barcelona has been beating Real so far this season, it is a great success that may not be repeated in a year. The Madrid giants lost only two games last season. He bowed out to Atlético Madrid on both occasions. Once in the league and once in the Spanish Cup.
However, we are back to the fact that the representatives of Real Madrid did not receive the award, because no one from their delegation flew in.
Women’s Team of the Year
Even among the women, the Spanish club rules and it is just a further illustration of the Spanish dominance for the past season. It is a fact that Barca act as a team of terminators. They won everything in the 2023/24 season. In addition to the Spanish League and the Champions League, the Spanish Cup and the Super Cup.
If we look at the ranking of the women’s Ballon d’Or 2024, there are six Barcelona players in the top eleven, moreover, as already mentioned, they occupied the entire podium. So it’s not just about Bonmatíová. After a legendary season with the team, the 32-year-old coach Jonatan Giráldez left to seek his fortune in the USA.
Gerd Müller Award for Best Scorer
Here, the price is split between the two top gunners, even if Haaland is missing. The Norwegian gunner scored “only” 48 goals across all competitions last season, Kane and Mbappé both stopped at number 52.
Only the Bayern Munich striker came to the podium to receive the award, who is used to individual awards and would certainly prefer to finally take the team trophy. Mbappé was logically absent. Although he won the award for his performances in the national team and in the PSG jersey, he already belongs to the Real Madrid team, so he did not appear.
Kopa trophy for the best under-21 player
Age: 17 let
Position: attacker
What to add, after all, at the age of seventeen, Yamal took eighth overall place in the Ballon d’Or. The Barcelona prodigy was one of Spain’s mainstays on the way to the European Champions title, and even if he wasn’t that productive last season, his footballing genius cannot be denied.
Arda Güler (Real Madrid) in silver and Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United) in bronze were far behind. Yamal thus imitated other Barcelona stars Pedri and Gavi, who won the award in 2021 and 2022, respectively. At 17, Yamal is anyway the youngest winner of this trophy, which has been awarded since 2018.
Jašin’s trophy for the best goalkeeper
Age: 32 let
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who won the award in 2022, said that a similar award is great, but according to him, it probably won’t happen again that a goalkeeper will win the Ballon d’Or.
There may be something to it, but Martínez is the gentleman in the gloves who is setting the trends at the moment. He was the first goalkeeper to defend the award. At Aston Villa, he continues to perform brilliantly, taking the Birmingham club into the Champions League. He also helped Argentina win the Copa América in the summer. Clearly, his position is helped by his showman nature. It is hard to believe at the moment that he tried in vain to break into the gate of London’s Arsenal for eight years in the past.
Socrates Scene
Age: 34 let
Position: attacker
The youngest award, which has been awarded as part of the Golden Ball gala since 2022. It is an award for social and charitable projects. Last year, by the way, it was won by Vinícius Júnior, the year before Sadio Mané for his charitable work. Hermosová is thus the first woman to win the prize. This time for a social activity.
Hermos became “famous” after being kissed against her will by the then head of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, during the World Cup celebrations. This sparked the protest campaign #SeAcabó (in Czech, Je po semper). Not only in Spain, she was supported by a number of other professional players. This activity cost Rubiales a place and FIFA banned him from all football-related activities for three years.
