Ballon d'Or Gala 2024: schedule, where to see and main favorites | Soccer | Sports

The 68th Ballon d’Or gala takes place this Monday, October 28 at the Theater du Châtelet in Paris, France. The Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr. started as favorite, but early in the afternoon it became known that Neither Vinicius nor Real Madrid will attend the galaas EL PAÍS learned from club sources.

A decision that also leaves out of the gala Dani Carvajalanother of the finalists for best player, now carlo anceloticandidate for best coach. Real Madrid thus intends to stand up to the organization of the event by considering it unfair that the winner is not any of its players.

Now the sights are on the player of the Manchester City Rodri Hernandez —winner of the Premier League and the Euro Cup with Spain—and in the other four nominees: Alejandro Grimaldo, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Nico Williams.

In the female category, five Spaniards aspire to the award – Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Salma Paralluelo, Patri Guijarro, Mariona Caldentey -, although the favorites are Bonmatí and the Norwegian Barcelona player Caroline Graham Hansen. The Yashin trophy (given to the best goalkeeper) is very close. He Athletic’s Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón He is among the 10 candidates to win the award. Other nominees with options are the Ukrainian goalkeeper of Madrid Lunin, the Back Martínez, Mamardashvili from Valencia or Donnarumma.

In the coaches category, three Spaniards are nominated: Pep Guardiola, Xabi Alonso and Luis de la Fuente. The other three are Ancelotti, Gasperini (Atalanta) and Scaloni. Among the favorites are Alonso (won the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal with Leverkusen), De la Fuente (won Euro2024 with the national team) and Ancelotti (winner of the League and Champions League).