On Wednesday, France Football magazine announced the creation of the Sócrates Award, a tribute to the historic former Corinthians and Brazilian national team player, who died in 2011, which will be awarded for the first time at the 2022 Ballon d’Or ceremony. will be awarded to footballers involved in solidarity actions and social projects.
– The Socrates Award will identify the best solidarity actions carried out by committed champions – said the organizers of the Ballon d’Or in a statement.
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The name of Sócrates was chosen by France Football because of the involvement of the Brazilian steering wheel in the famous and romantic “Corinthian Democracy”, a movement that took place in the early 1980s, which had the fight for the end of the military dictatorship in Brazil as one of the main banners. .
Initiatives in favor of social integration, environmental development or assistance to populations in great precariousness or victims of conflict will be rewarded with the prize.
- Corinthian Democracy: understand what it was and how the movement against the dictatorship was organized
“Socrates Award” will be given to footballers involved with social causes at the 2022 Ballon d’Or – Photo: Getty Images
The new award will be awarded by a jury that includes former São Paulo and Seleção Raí player, younger brother of Sócrates, as well as representatives of France Football and leaders of the organization Peace and Sport, which oversees development and pacification projects through of the sport.
– Sócrates always believed in the mobilizing and transforming power of sport to make society more egalitarian. Eleven years after his death, (Socrates) remains the symbol of the champion committed to a fairer world – said Raí.
In addition to the creation of the Socrates Prize, France Football announced this week the Gerd Müller Prize, the new name for the trophy awarded to the top scorer of the year. The historic German striker, who died last year at the age of 75, won the Ballon d’Or in 1970.
