Times of India4 hours ago·3 min read·easy

Ballon d'Or: Messi, Yamal and Mbappe among favourites; how the winners are decided

SHUBHANSHU DWIVEDI

✦AI Summary

The 70th annual Ballon d'Or ceremony is set to take place in London, featuring a shift in focus toward younger stars like Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé. The awards recognize the best individual football performances, with Lionel Messi still in the conversation despite his veteran status.

Why it matters

The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual award in global football, and this year marks a significant transition in the sport's generational leadership.

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The Ballon d'Or winners will be announced on Monday, with a new generation of football stars, led by Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé, hoping to win the award that was dominated for years by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.At 39, Messi still remains in contention for football's biggest individual honour after his performances at the World Cup. While the focus is increasingly shifting towards a potential Yamal-Mbappé rivalry, Harry Kane's remarkable goalscoring form could delay the start of a new era by another year.The women's award will have a new winner after Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati, who claimed the honour for the past three years, missed out on the shortlist following a leg fracture in December.Two-time winner Alexia Putellas is the favourite to claim the award for the third time.Here's everything you need to know about the Ballon d'Or, which translates from French as Golden Ball.Where and when…

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