Ballon d’Or – Football Flame

Man City name Ballon d’Or winner Rodri in squad for Champions League run in

7Feb

By Silver Emmanuel2 Comments

Champions League

Man City name Ballon d’Or winner Rodri in squad for Champions League run in

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 29: Rodri of Manchester City portrait before the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between Manchester City and Club Brugge KV at City of Manchester Stadium on January 29, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images) Manchester City showed faith in Rodri’s potential return to action this season by registering the injured Ballon d’Or winner in its Champions League squad for the knockout phase. UEFA set a midnight Thursday deadline to submit updated squad lists for European competitions. With a limit of three new signings in the midseason transfer window allowed, City left teenage defender Vitor Reis – who joined from Palmeiras last month – out of their squad for the knockout stages of Europe’s ...

Lautaro Martinez eyes UCL glory after Balloon d’or snub

1Nov

By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

SERIE A

Lautaro Martinez eyes UCL glory after Balloon d’or snub

Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale greets his supporters at the end of the Serie A Enilive match between Empoli FC and FC Internazionale at Stadio Carlo Castellani on October 30, 2024 in Empoli, Italy. Lautaro Martinez has set his sights on some glitzy team objectives after finishing lower than expected in the Balloon d’Or voting despite a terrific season with Inter and Argentina in 2023/2024. He gave an interview to Icon Magazine. He was publicly endorsed by Lionel Messi for the prestigious award. “It’s an honor for me that the greatest player of all time thinks that. I was happy to be a candidate. I think it’s recognition for a great campaign with the national team, with which we won the Coppa America, and the club, as we took home the 20th Scudetto and the Supercoppa. And personal...

Karim Benzema: “Vinicius Jr deserved the Ballon d’Or”

30Oct

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Karim Benzema: “Vinicius Jr deserved the Ballon d’Or”

Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 22, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema said former partner-in-crime Vinicius Jr deserved the Ballon d’Or after Rodri took home the trophy on Tuesday night. “Viní deserved to win the Ballon d’Or. I have spoken to him, he is sad. It is normal,” said Benzema, in an interview with El Chiringuito. Benzema also gave his opinion on Rodri winning the much-coveted award. He said: “I have nothing against Rodri, he’s a good player, but I’m on my sofa watching TV and Rodri doesn’t do anything that makes you say ‘pfff’. Vini has done it more than once.” The e...

Manchester City’s Rodri wins Men’s Ballon D’Or award as Real Madrid boycott ceremony

29Oct

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

NEWS

Manchester City’s Rodri wins Men’s Ballon D’Or award as Real Madrid boycott ceremony

Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri receives the Ballon d'Or award during the 2024 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024. Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri was awarded the men's Ballon d'Or on Monday after winning a fourth consecutive Premier League title and Euro 2024, but Real Madrid boycotted the ceremony. The decision to award the prize for the world's best player to the deep-lying midfielder came as a surprise, with Real Madrid's Liga and Champions League double winner Vinicius Junior widely seen as the pre-ceremony favorite. Hours before the festivities in Paris, the Spanish club announced its delegation would not attend the ceremony at Chatelet Theatre because of what it perceived as a snub of Vinicius. R...

Real Madrid will win two awards at Ballon d’Or ceremony despite Vinicius snub

28Oct

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Real Madrid will win two awards at Ballon d’Or ceremony despite Vinicius snub

Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team's fifth goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 22, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. Not more than 24 hours ago, Vinicius Junior appeared to be the undisputed favourite to seal the Ballon d’Or trophy. But drama unfolded in the hours heading up to the gala, as various news outlets started to report that Rodri had pipped Vinicius for the prestigious title. The likes of Fabrizio Romano and ESPN soon joined the bandwagon, confirming that Real Madrid are aware of the winner and are thus not attending the Ballon d’Or event. With the countdown already underway, Real Madrid are still absent from the event, in protest of Rodri’s triump...

Ancelotti: “Vinícius will win the Ballon d’Or”

23Oct

By Silver EmmanuelNo Comments

LALIGA

Ancelotti: “Vinícius will win the Ballon d’Or”

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media following Tuesday night’s memorable win over Borussia Dortmund, praising the hero of the hour, Vinícius Júnior, by saying, “I can say that it is rare to see a player who makes a second half as he does. MADRID, SPAIN - OCTOBER 22: Vinicius Junior and Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid CF celebrate after scoring his team's fourth goal with during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 22, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Getty Images) Apart from the goals, with an energy and intensity, with an extraordinary character. He will win the Ballon d’Or, not for tonight, but for last season. These are three goals that will...

Jude Bellingham gets Ballon d’Or nomination, but no Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo

5Sep

By Silver Emmanuel1 Comment

NEWS

Jude Bellingham gets Ballon d’Or nomination, but no Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo

For the first time since 2003 neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi have been included in the nominees for the men's Ballon d'Or award, which were announced on Wednesday, with England's Jude Bellingham among the 30 players named. Portugal's Ronaldo, who has won the award five times, also failed to receive a nomination last year, while Messi, who won for a record eighth time in 2023 and has been nominated 16 times, misses out despite Argentina's Copa America win this year. Spain, winners of Euro 2024, have six players nominated including 17-year-old Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, along with Nico Williams, Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri and Dani Carvajal who also won the Champions League with Real Madrid. Real have a total of seven players nominated, including Kylian Mbap...