On Thursday, one of football’s most coveted individual prizes will be handed out: the Ballon d’Or. The 2017 edition will commence in a ceremony in Paris, with one lucky player set to be named the recipient.
Rumors have been bouncing around as to who will France’s Football’s ultimate prize, but an official announcement is right around the corner. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2017 Ballon d’Or.
What time is the ceremony?
The event will begin at 13:45 ET / 18:45 GMT on Thursday, December 7.
Where can I watch the ceremony?
French sports channel L'Equipe TV is the confirmed channel to broadcast the event. To stream it online, you may also visit FranceFootball.fr (geo-restrictions apply). Fans can follow our Twitter page for live updates.
How will the winner be chosen?
A group of 173 journalists from across the world will choose the winner. This means coaches, fellow players, and managers have no say in the outcome.
Who are the nominees?
The race will come down to two players, but a total of 30 men were shortlisted for the 2017 prize.
- Neymar: PSG
- N'Golo Kante: Chelsea
- Luka Modric: Real Madrid
- Paulo Dybala: Juventus
- Marcelo: Real Madrid
- Edin Dzeko: Roma
- Harry Kane: Tottenham
- David De Gea: Man United
- Robert Lewandowski: Bayern Munich
- Philippe Coutinho: Liverpool
- Luis Suarez: Barcelona
- Jan Oblak: Atletico
- Sergio Ramos: Real Madrid
- Dries Mertens: Napoli
- Radamel Falcao: Monaco
- Sadio Mane: Liverpool
- Gianluigi Buffon: Juventus
- Antoine Griezmann: Atletico
- Toni Kroos: Real Madrid
- Cristiano Ronaldo: Real Madrid
- Eden Hazard: Chelsea
- Leonardo Bonucci: AC Milan
- Isco: Real Madrid
- Kylian Mbappe: PSG
- Kevin De Bruyne: Man City
- Karim Benzema: Real Madrid
- Pierre-Emerick Aubemyang: BVB
- Edinson Cavani: PSG
- Lionel Messi: Barcelona
- Mats Hummels: Bayern Munich
Who is the favorite?
Cristiano is the safest bet, as his heroics last season guided Real Madrid to the Champions League and La Liga titles. He is leading the way in Europe once gain this season, as he is the top scorer.
Messi has his claim on the prize, as last season was disappointing for Barcelona but not on a personal level. He almost single-handedly led Argentina into the 2018 World Cup and continues to bag goals like no other in La Liga.
Nonetheless, Cristiano’s trophy-laden season might prove to hard to overlook.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
Ballon d'Or 2017 Ceremony
December 7, 2017 1:00pmParis, FranceThis match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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