59°Good afternoon
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, is congratulated by Jude Bellingham...

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, right, is congratulated by Jude Bellingham after scoring his side's 2nd goal during the Champions League final soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, June 1, 2024. Credit: AP/Kin Cheung

PARIS — The most prestigious individual awards ceremony in world soccer, the Ballon d’Or, will be held in Paris on Oct. 28, the event’s new organizer UEFA said Thursday.

Nominations will be announced Sept. 4, letting voters factor in the European Championship and Copa America in men’s soccer and Paris Olympics tournament in the women’s game.

Real Madrid players Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Toni Kroos are likely to poll strongly after leading the team to the Champions League and La Liga titles. Kroos will end his career after playing at Euro 2024 for Germany and never finished in the top three of a Ballon d'Or vote.

Barcelona retained its Women's Champions League title with past Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmatí and Alèxia Putellas scoring in the final against Lyon.

Voters are expected to consider players’ individual performance, then their team’s performance and also fair play.

Monthly magazine France Football first presented the Ballon d’Or for men in 1956 and added a women's prize in 2018. UEFA is now the magazine’s partner to help market the event and organize the ceremony in a theater in central Paris.

Lionel Messi and Bonmatí won the best player awards last year on the back of their recent World Cup wins.

Real Madrid's Toni Kroos is lifted in the air by...

Real Madrid's Toni Kroos is lifted in the air by his teammates during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Betis at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 25, 2024. Another perfect summer, or another national embarrassment. No one knows quite what to expect from this Germany team heading in the European Championship. Credit: AP/Manu Fernandez

New awards for the 2023-24 season include best men's and women's coach.

SUBSCRIBE

Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME