TheNewsGuru

Tag: Ballon d’Or

  • Suarez tells organisers: Give 2021 Ballon d’Or to Lewandowski

    Suarez tells organisers: Give 2021 Ballon d’Or to Lewandowski

    Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez has made a U-turn on his choice of who wins the 2021 ballon d’Or.

    The Uruguay international, who had back in October tipped former Barcelona teammate, Lionel Messi for the award, saying, “Because in the Ballon d’Or you should not only look at what one has done in the year, but also you have to see what he is like as a player, seeing what he does year after year. I think he has no rival,” now claims he will give Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski his own Ballon d’Or trophy should the Polish striker not win this year’s prize.

    Lewandowski appears among the favourites to win the ballon d’Or later this month following another stunning 12 months of action for both club and country.

    The Polish netted 55 times in 47 appearances for Bayern Munich during the 2019-20 season and scored another 48 in 40 last season

    He was the 2020 FIFA Best Men’s Player and was hoping to add the ballon d’Or before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

    This year, Lionel Messi, Jorginho and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the other top names lined up for the award.

    But Suarez, Messi’s friend and former teammate at Barcelona thinks Lewandowski should be crowned.

    Suarez told Carrusel Deportivo as per EuroSport: “Give Lewandowski the Ballon d’Or, damn it! If not, I’ll give you mine!”

  • I would’ve been nominated for Ballon d’Or if… – Mendy

    I would’ve been nominated for Ballon d’Or if… – Mendy

    Chelsea goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, feels he would have been included in the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist if he played for France.

    Mendy is the first African goalkeeper to play in the Champions League final since 1985.

    The Senegal international kept nine clean sheets last season, as Chelsea went all the way to win the trophy.

    Despite his fine displays for the Blues, Mendy was not recognised for the prestigious individual honour for the best players in the world and he has reacted to the snub.

    “It’s something that motivates me and pushes me to work. Honestly, I am wondering.

    “If I had played for France and had taken part in the Euro, would we have this debate and this reflection?” Mendy told Canal Plus via Wiw Sport.

  • Mendy shouldn’t let Ballon d’Or snub upset him – Tuchel

    Mendy shouldn’t let Ballon d’Or snub upset him – Tuchel

    Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel insists goalkeeper Edouard Mendy isn’t letting his Ballon d’Or get to him after victory over Norwich City.

    Last season, Mendy broke an English club record for clean sheets recorded in the Champions League, helping them win.

    Asked on Saturday whether he felt his first-choice keeper should have been on the list, Tuchel replied: “Yes… but no.

    “I’m happy and it is more important that he performs like this than he is on any list.

    “It should not – I hope it does not – bother him because it does not bother me too much and it seems like he is not influenced by that, which is a good thing.”

  • Ballon d’Or backlash has really touched me – Mendy

    Ballon d’Or backlash has really touched me – Mendy

    Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has welcomed the support after missing a nomination for the Ballon d’Or.

    Speaking to Canal+ in France, Mendy has revealed just how great the support for him has been.

    He said: “I saw the list at the same time as many people, and I got a lot of messages from people close to me and from some I didn’t even know, so I was really touched by this wave of messages I got, whether it be calls or on social media.

    “It’s something that’s really huge, it really touched me to a point I wasn’t expecting. All this affection and recognition is what pushes me to work and continue to get titles with club and country. It’s just happiness and motivation.”

    Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was named Player of the Tournament after helping Italy win Euro 2020, is the only goalkeeper to be nominated.

    Mendy downplayed his omission and said he would use it to spur him on to get even better.

    He said: “Do I think it’s an injustice? No, I wouldn’t use that word. It’s something that motivates me to go forward, to work and be performant at club level and with my country, and as I said after the game with the national team, it’s the journalists’ freedom of vote and expression, and they vote honourably and conscientiously.”

  • Ronaldo never deserved Ballon d’Or more than this year – Mendes

    Ronaldo never deserved Ballon d’Or more than this year – Mendes

    Super agent Jorge Mendes insists Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo should win this year’s Ballon d’Or.

    Ronaldo is among the 30 nominees for the award.

    Mendes told L’Equipe: “The numbers of Cristiano Ronaldo speak for him and should be enough to win another Ballon d’Or. The absolutely remarkable record of 115 goals for the Portuguese national team makes him the absolute record holder in the history of world football.

    “This year, he beat a record of 15 years, to which he is joined by the best scorer in the history of world football (794). This, which is the greatest achievement in football history, should be decisive in the attribution of the trophy because he continues to demonstrate that he is, without a doubt, the best player ever in the history of world football.

    “It’s true that it’s an individual trophy, but let’s not forget that Cristiano Ronaldo was the top scorer in the demanding Italian league, he was the top scorer at the last European (being the best scorer in the history of the competition), he holds the record for top scorer in the Champions League, is the only player in the world who has won everything in three different countries (championship, cup, super cup, best player, top scorer), with maximum competitiveness as in England, Italy and Spain – but with an absolutely unique regularity and with a commitment and a capacity to overcome.

    “From my point of view, the Ballon d’Or has a name: Cristiano Ronaldo. He has never so deserved the Ballon d’Or.”

  • Sadio Mane slams Ballon D’Or for Chelsea goalkeeper snub

    Sadio Mane slams Ballon D’Or for Chelsea goalkeeper snub

    Liverpool star Sadio Mane says it is “unacceptable” that Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was not nominated for the Ballon D’Or.

    Chelsea stars Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Romelu Lukaku and Cesar Azpilicueta all made the 30-man shortlist.

    But there was no room for Mendy despite being instrumental in Chelsea winning the Champions League.

    Mane plays with Mendy for Senegal and believes the 29-year-old deserved to be nominated.

    When asked about Mendy’s omission, Mane told reporters after Senegal’s win over Namibia at the weekend: “It is unacceptable.

    “I do not understand, these are things to deplore.”

  • Messi reveals Ballon d’Or votes, says not favourite to win

    Messi reveals Ballon d’Or votes, says not favourite to win

    Record Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has opened up about the nominees he would likely vote for in this year’s award.

    In an interview with France Football, Messi said he does not think he is the favourite to win the award although, it would be incredible to win another being the first and only player to have won six so far.

    He said, “I don’t think I’m the favourite, and I’ve never liked talking about it until the result is in. It would be great to win another one, it’s already amazing to be the only player to have won six.

    “A seventh would be incredible. This past summer I won a trophy that was missing in the Copa America and that was the pinnacle for me. If I go on to win another Ballon d’Or, I’ll be very happy and very grateful, but I’m not thinking about it.”

    TheNewsGuru recalls that in the summer, Messi joined French Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain ending his 21-year relationship with Barcelona, a move that was both shocking and unexpected.

    The 34-year-old also noted that there are two players from his team whom he would cast his vote for and two from other teams who had a great season.

    “In my team, there are at least two players for whom I’ll vote in Kylian and Ney. Then [Robert] Lewandowski, who has had a great year. But there’s also [Karim] Benzema.

    “We know that trophies are important now. The Champions League, the European Championship and the Copa America always weigh heavily in the vote,” he added.

     

  • BREAKING: Ballon d’Or 2021 list of nominees released [FULL LIST ATTACHED]

    BREAKING: Ballon d’Or 2021 list of nominees released [FULL LIST ATTACHED]

    The full list of nominees for the 2021 Ballon d’Or, an annual football award presented by French news magazine, France Football, has been released with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane named.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Ballon d’Or is one of the oldest, and generally regarded as the most prestigious individual award for football players across the globe.

    It has been awarded since 1956, but between 2010 and 2015, an agreement was made with the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), and the award was temporarily merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year (founded in 1991) and known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or.

    However, the partnership ended in 2016, and the award reverted to the Ballon d’Or, while FIFA also reverted to its own separate annual award The Best FIFA Men’s Player. The recipients of the joint FIFA Ballon d’Or are considered as winners by both award organisations.

    TNG reports five players of reigning European champions, Chelsea are included in the 2021 Ballon d’Or list in the form of Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Romelu Lukaku and Cesar Azpilicueta.

    Others who made the shortlist are Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Pedri, Riyad Mahrez, Mohamed Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, Karim Benzema, Kevin De Bruyne, Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski.

    See full Ballon d’Or list below:

    1. Cesar Azpilicueta
    2. Nicolo Barella
    3. Karim Benzema
    4. Leonard Bonucci
    5. Kevin De Bruyne
    6. Giorgio Chiellini
    7. Cristiano Ronaldo
    8. Ruben Dias
    9. Gianluigi Donnarumma
    10. Bruno Fernandes
    11. Phil Foden
    12. Erling Haaland
    13. Harry Kane
    14. Jorginho
    15. N’Golo Kante
    16. Simon Kjaer
    17. Robert Lewandowski
    18. Romelu Lukaku
    19. Riyad Mahrez
    20. Lautaro Martinez
    21. Kylian Mbappe
    22. Lionel Messi
    23. Luka Modric
    24. Gerard Moreno
    25. Mason Mount
    26. Neymar
    27. Pedri
    28. Mohamed Salah
    29. Raheem Sterling
    30. Luis Suarez

     

  • Jorginho happy with Ballon d’Or talk

    Jorginho happy with Ballon d’Or talk

    Chelsea midfielder Jorginho is happy being mentioned as a Ballon d’Or contender.

    Italy coach Roberto Mancini insists Jorginho deserves the award after winning the Champions League and Euro 2020 this year.

    At today’s Italy presser, the former Napoli midfielder said: “Now comes the difficult moment, Italy is no longer a surprise. It is in the place it deserves to be and all those who come to play against us will do it in a different way.

    “After what we have done we are happy, but we must always remain humble. As soon as you let your guard down, the bad news arrives and we don’t want that, we will try to remain humble.

    “On the Ballon d’Or I let you speak, I try to live in the moment. There are still a few months left for that decision and I think about the present, I want to enjoy this moment with those around me. We’ll see what happens…”

  • Jorginho should win Ballon d’Or – Mancini

    Jorginho should win Ballon d’Or – Mancini

    Italy coach Roberto Mancini says Chelsea midfielder Jorginho should be this year’s Ballon d’Or winner.

    Jorginho ended last season a European champion with both Chelsea and Italy.

    At this morning’s World Cup qualifying presser, Mancini was asked who should win the gong and replied: “Jorginho I think so. He has been doing well for years and this year he has won everything he has played, he deserves it.”

    He also said: “Nothing has changed. Our life will go on and our work too. We have won the European Championship, we have made ourselves and 60 million Italians happy. It made us proud, the fact that we gave happiness to all these people.

    “From the 3-4 year old child to the person of 85, I was really happy with what we did and that was the best thing for us.”