The greatest player in FC Barcelona history, Lionel Messi, is the current holder of the Ballon d’Or award. He’s also the only individual to win it eight times, but he won’t be defending his crown this year.
The short list of nominees was released yesterday, and Messi was not among them.
But despite the absence of Messi, FC Barcelona are still very well represented among the candidates to claim the various awards in multiple categories under the Ballon d’Or umbrella come February.
Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo are up for the men’s award, although Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham or Vinicius Jr. are considered the favorites to win it.
On the women’s side, six players are among the nominees, with Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas considered the favorites. However, Patricia Guijarro, Caroline Graham Hansen, Mariona Caldentey, Lucy Bronze and Salma Paralluelo are also in the mix.
The Catalan club is also up for club of the year, on the women’s side, with head coach Jonathan Giraldez up for manager of the year.
Meanwhile Yamal is also up for the Kopa Trophy (most outstanding U21 player), as is Pau Cubarsi. Both are considered strong candidates to win it.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.