It is a theme that turns and moves enters the conversation wheels: who will be elected best player in the world?
It happens especially at the end of the European season, when a player is in an exceptional phase, a club wins a championship or is eliminated, or after the Champions League final.
Remembering that there are two awards: The Golden Ball, granted by French magazine France Football, and FIFA’s The Best Award, whose last winner is Vinicius Jr. with the classification, this week, PSG and Inter Milan for Champions’ decision, it is difficult to point out a favorite Franco.
The names have changed in recent months. First, Mohamed Salah. The striker is in a magic phase in Liverpool, won the Premier League, has scored 34 goals for the club of the season. It can still be the second African to win the Golden Ball after George Weah in 1995. But since the English club was eliminated from the Champions League, his chances have diminished.
The same happened with Raphinha, scorer of the European competition with 13 goals, alongside Serhou Guirassy. Barcelona won the King Cup and the Spanish Super Cup and leads La Liga, but when leaving Champions in the semifinals, can the Brazilian still take one of the awards? Case similar to that of club mate Lamine Yamal. At 17, will you be able to prove that it is the best, or is very young?
Will the Champions League this year not help to define the winner and one of the three can take?
With the PSG classification for the decision, after eliminating the Arsenal, the name of Ousmane Dembélé gained strength. The Frenchman arrived at the club in 2023, inherited Neymar’s shirt 10 and has been fundamental in the team’s campaign, finally showing his potential. It’s okay that the French Championship is seen as “inferior” when compared to other European leagues, but there is no denying that PSG has a thymade. He is already champion of Ligue 1 in advance and also disputes the decision of the French Cup against Reims. If you conquer the triple crown, will Dembélé be even more in evidence? Or the teammate, Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma, can get something rare: a goalkeeper being elected best player on the planet?
Some run outside, such as Kylian Mbappé, who has been chasing the honor, or Harry Kane (which finally won the first trophy, Bundesliga!). Kane is a goal -scorer machine and scorer of the German Championship of the season with 24. But awards are not made “just” goals. In the case of the Frenchman, the weak season of Real Madrid – for the club’s standards – practically puts him out of the match, as is Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
Since this season has no World Cup or Copa America, the decision will be based only on the athletes’ performances for their clubs. The new and turbocharged Club World Cup, which will be in June and July in the United States, can influence votes.
In the coming weeks, with the end of national championships in Europe and the definition of Champions Champion, the scenario should be clearer.
With so many possibilities, at least we left the predictability of Lionel Messi’s time versus Cristiano Ronaldo. The dispute was more exciting. At least for now.
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