With the current football season reaching its mid-way point of the season, the eagerly awaited Ballon d'Or awards are back to decide the best of the best. Regarded as the Oscars of football, the Ballon d'Or is given to the male and female player deemed to have performed the best over the previous year, based on voting by football journalists. (More Football News)
The 2019 edition, the 64th in its history, will see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi vying for their sixth career honour while Megan Rapinoe will hope to win her first.
The Ballon d'Or awards have always been debated and discussed with a great deal of excitement by football fans around the world.
Here is everything you need to know:
When and where? - The 2019 Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France on December 2. The official ceremony will start around 19:30 GMT (1:00 AM, December 3, IST).
Also Read: Messi, Rapinoe Tipped To Win Ballon D'Or
How to watch? It will be shown live on France Football website and can be streamed on Hotstar in India. The event will be televised live on Star Sports Select 1/HD in India.
Who are the nominees?
Men for Ballon d'Or - Sadio Mane (SEN/Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (ARG/Manchester City), Frenkie de Jong (NED/Barcelona), Hugo Lloris (FRA/Tottenham), Dusan Tadic (SER/Ajax), Kylian Mbappe (FRA/PSG), Trent Alexander-Arnold (ENG/Liverpool), Donny van de Beek (NED/Ajax), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (GAB/Arsenal), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (GER/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Juventus), Alisson (BRA/Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (NED/Juventus), Karim Benzema (FRA/Real Madrid), Georginio Wijnaldum (NED/Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (NED/Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (POR/Manchester City), Son Heung-min (KOR/Tottenham), Robert Lewandowski (POL/Bayern Munich), Roberto Firmino (BRA/Liverpool), Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona), Riyad Mahrez (ALG/Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (BEL/Manchester City), Kalidou Koulibaly (SEN/Napoli), Antoine Griezmann (FRA/Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (EGY/Liverpool), Eden Hazard (BEL/Real Madrid), Marquinhos (BRA/Paris-SG), Raheem Sterling (ENG/Manchester City), Joao Felix(POR/Atletico Madrid)
Women for Ballon d'Or Feminin - Sam Kerr (AUS/Chelsea), Ellen White (ENG/Manchester City), Nilla Fischer (SWE/Linkopings), Amandine Henry (FRA/Lyon), Lucy Bronze(ENG/Lyon), Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (NED/Arsenal), Dzsenifer Marozsan (GER/Lyon), Pernille Harder (DEN/Wolfsburg), Sarah Bouhaddi (FRA/Lyon), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC), Lieke Martens (NED/Barcelona), Sari van Veenendal (NED/Atletico Madrid), Wendie Renard (FRA/Lyon), Rose Lavelle(USA/Washington Spirit), Marta (BRA/Orlando Pride), Ada Hegerberg (NOR/Lyon), Kosovare Asllani (SWE/CD Tacon), Sofia Jakobsson (SWE/CD Tacon), Tobin Heath (USA/Portland Thorns)
Past winners - Ballon d'Or
2018 - Luka Modric | Cristiano Ronaldo | Antoine Griezmann
2017 - Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Neymar
2016 - Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Antoine Griezmann
2015 - Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Neymar
2014 - Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Manuel Neuer
2013 - Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Franck Ribery
2012 - Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Andres Iniesta
2011 - Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Xavi
2010 - Lionel Messi | Andres Iniesta | Xavi
2009 - Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Xavi
2008 - Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Fernando Torres
Ballon d'Or Feminin: It was only started last year. Norway and Lyon's Ada Hegerberg won it.
