For the third year in a row, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the top 30 list for the Ballon d’Or, which was recently announced by the French authorities.
Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha are all on the list of 30 players nominated for the big prize.
France coach Didier Deschamps backed Dembele for the award, saying "considering the season Ousmane is having, he deserves it and that's all I wish for him".
Didier Deschamps expects the Paris St Germain players to be ready after their Champions League success when France take on Spain in the Nations League semifinals, with the manager also backing Ousmane Dembele for the Ballon d'Or.
Yamal and Dembele have been crucial for club and country this season and the prestigious golden ball trophy could end up with one of them in September during the ceremony in Paris.
The nominees will be announced in early August.
The Egyptian superstar, 32, is favourite to win the award, regarded as the top individual prize in football, after a sensational campaign so far.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti vehemently defended his sides’ decision to boycott the Ballon d’Or award ceremony last year in protest of Vinicius Jr’s snub and said that Rodri, who edged out Vinicius for the award, should have won the prize a year earlier instead of Lionel Messi.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri took the prestigious prize in October with favourite Vinicius in second place
For the third year in a row, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the top 30 list for the Ballon d’Or, which was recently announced by the French authorities.
Ousmane Dembele, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha are all on the list of 30 players nominated for the big prize.
France coach Didier Deschamps backed Dembele for the award, saying "considering the season Ousmane is having, he deserves it and that's all I wish for him".
Didier Deschamps expects the Paris St Germain players to be ready after their Champions League success when France take on Spain in the Nations League semifinals, with the manager also backing Ousmane Dembele for the Ballon d'Or.
Yamal and Dembele have been crucial for club and country this season and the prestigious golden ball trophy could end up with one of them in September during the ceremony in Paris.
The nominees will be announced in early August.
The Egyptian superstar, 32, is favourite to win the award, regarded as the top individual prize in football, after a sensational campaign so far.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti vehemently defended his sides’ decision to boycott the Ballon d’Or award ceremony last year in protest of Vinicius Jr’s snub and said that Rodri, who edged out Vinicius for the award, should have won the prize a year earlier instead of Lionel Messi.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri took the prestigious prize in October with favourite Vinicius in second place
“Why would it hurt me? It was my moment, to enjoy with my family. The last thing I’d be thinking about is people who weren’t there, and didn’t want to participate,” Rodri said in an interview with COPE radio.
