Football

Ballon d’Or, Yachine, and Kopa trophies nominees revealed

Four Manchester City stars, two Arsenal players, and a couple of Manchester United players have been named in the 2023 Ballon d’Or nominee list.

The list, which was released on Wednesday, had thirty names of top football individuals on it, including Lionel Messi, but there’s an obvious omission, with Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo missing out for the first time in twenty years.

PFA Player of the Year and UEFA Best Men’s Player of the Year winner Erling Haaland was named along with five other Manchester City teammates, including Kevin De Bruyne and Julian Alvarez.

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka continues to get the recognition he deserves, as he got his first nomination alongside Martin Odegaard. This is coming after he was recently named PFA Young Player of the Year and England Player of the Year.

Some other nominees are Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah, Manchester United’s Andre Onana, and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. There was space for Harry Kane, Barcelona’s Ilkay Gundogan, Luka Modric, Napoli’s Kvicha Kvaratsheklia, and Victor Osimhen.

The award ceremony will be held in Paris on October 30, where the winner and winners of the Yachine trophy, meant for the best goalkeepers, and the Golden Boy award, meant for the best youngsters, will be revealed.

FULL BALLON D’OR NOMINEES LIST:

1/6 — Gvardiol, Musiala, André Onana, Benzema, Kolo Muani.

2/6 — Salah, Saka, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Bellingham.

3/6 — Kvaratskhelia, Barella, Emiliano Martínez, Ruben Dias, Haaland.

4/6 — Ødegaard, Gündoğan, Yassine Bounou, Julián Álvarez, Viní Jr.

5/6 — Rodri, Griezmann, Messi, Lautaro Martínez, Lewandowski.

6/6 — Kim Min-jae, Modrić, Mbappé, Osimhen, Kane.

YACHINE TROPHY NOMINEES:

Yassine Bounou

Thibaut Courtois

Mike Maignan

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen