Ousmane Dembélé or Lamine Yamal, an enigma that for weeks has been fueling debates about the identity of the next Ballon d’Or, an enigma that will end this Monday at the end of a gala that will distribute eleven awards that make Paris the media focus of soccer.
The crème de la crème of the sport will gather at the Chatelet theater to select the best player of the past season, the best young players, goalkeepers, coaches and clubs, as well as the Socrates trophy, which highlights social work.
Dembelé or Lamine Yamal?
The men’s Ballon d’Or, the original award of the entire spectrum, is the focus of special attention this year, with the soccer universe divided between the French striker of PSG and the Spaniard of Barcelona.
The former has all the momentum of the four titles won by his team, especially the Champions League, the first in its history, with his 35 goals and 16 assists that made him the team’s star performer last season.
His main enemy may be the dispersion of votes with his teammates, as PSG placed nine players among the 30 candidates.
In addition, Dembélé is perceived at 28 years of age as a great player, but for many without the stature of a Ballon d’Or, mainly due to the inconsistency of his career.
Barça has fewer players among those who apply for the award, four, so all the spotlights point to Lamine Yamal, with worse numbers than Dembélé, 21 goals and 22 assists, and fewer titles, because the Champions League escaped in an unfortunate semi-final against Inter, but whose projection at 18 years of age points to a historical figure.
Thus, the soccer world is divided between those in favor of rewarding the Frenchman’s good season against the Spaniard’s promise and those who believe that Lamine Yamal should be placed in the path of the greats.
Best young
If he does not win the main award, the young Blaugrana star may settle for his second consecutive Kopa award for the best young player, for which PSG ‘s Frenchman Desiré Doué, as well as his teammate Pau Cubarsí, is also in the running.
In the women’s section, there are more doubts, with six Spaniards among the candidates, including Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, winners of the last four editions, who are somewhat diminished by not having won the European title with either Barça or the national team.
If titles count, the award would go to Alessia Russo, Leah Williamson or Chloe Kelly, European champions with England and Champions League winners with Arsenal, although Chelsea compatriots Lucy Bronze and Hannah Hampton can boast of being English league and cup winners.
Among the candidates for the women’s Kopa, which is being awarded for the first time, are Madrid’s Colombian Linda Caicedo, Club Olimpia’s Paraguayan Claudia Martínez Ovando and Barcelona’s Spanish Vicki López.
The best goalkeeper will also be honored for the first time, a Yashin award for which Barça’s Spanish player Cata Coll will compete, while in the men’s category, Argentine Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez is aiming for a third consecutive success, against candidates such as Liverpool’s Brazilian Alisson Becker, Madrid’s Belgian Thibaut Courtois, Atlético de Madrid’s Slovenian Jan Oblak and Arsenal’s Spaniard David Raya.
In the best coach category, the name of Luis Enrique emerges strongly thanks to his four titles won with PSG, as does England coach Sarina Wiegman of the Netherlands in the women’s category.
PSG is also the top favorite for club of the year in the men’s section, while the women’s section is more uncertain, with Arsenal, Chelsea or Barcelona among the candidates.
With information from EFE
