The Ballon d’Or ceremony is set for this month, and as it approaches, no clear frontrunner has emerged for the prestigious award. However, Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique shared his thoughts on who he believes deserves the honor during an interview with TNT Sports Brazil.
While this year’s Ballon d’Or lacks a definitive favorite, both Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham stand out as strong candidates, thanks to their contributions that helped Real Madrid clinch the UEFA Champions League and LaLiga titles last season.
Despite their impressive performances, neither player added any further trophies over the summer to bolster their chances. Bellingham did reach the UEFA Euro 2024 final, while Brazil faced an early exit in the knockout stages.
Although Enrique isn’t particularly fond of individual accolades, he expressed a desire tosee the Brazilian star from Real Madrid take home the award.
“Who’s going to win it? Do you guys know? I hope it’s Vinícius Júnior, a Brazilian,” Enrique told the Brazilian media outlet. “He’d deserve it, for sure. But honestly, as a coach, I don’t really care much about these individual awards. I don’t believe in them at all.
“They’re just part of the marketing. Yeah, they recognize a player who’s done well, scored a lot, and won titles, but without the team, a player is nothing. So, congrats to whoever wins, whether it’s Vinícius or someone else, but I’ll always value the team more.
”Lionel Messi, the current Ballon d’Or holder, is backing a different candidate this year. Instead of his former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappé, he has chosen Lautaro Martinez, his compatriot on the Argentine national team and a standout player for Inter Milan.
Former Manchester United forward Diego Forlán is geared up to make his professional tennis debut at next month's Uruguay Open. The 45-year-old football legend will team up with Argentine player Federico Coria for the doubles event, bringing his competitive spirit to the tennis court in his home country.
An announcement from the tournament organizers excitedly declared: "Attention tennis and sports fans! This year at the Uruguay Open, we have an UNMISSABLE duo in doubles: Argentine tennis player Federico Coria and former Uruguayan football player Diego Forlan."
The Uruguay Open will be played at the Challenger Tour level, the second-highest professional tier in tennis. Coria, who boasts a career-high singles ranking of 49, will be a valuable partner for Forlán as they aim to win the doubles event.
Forlán, a cult hero at Manchester United, is fondly remembered for his impactful moments on the football field. He famously scored both goals in a memorable 2-1 victory against Liverpool in December 2002, followed by a dramatic 90th-minute winner against Chelsea, which helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s team clinch the Premier League title.
Interestingly, Forlán's journey echoes that of his father, who also transitioned from football to tennis after retiring. “My father played football, and after retiring at 41, he took up tennis. That’s why I started playing at the age of two. Everyone knows I dedicated myself to football before returning to this sport as diligently as I now do,” Forlán has shared. Football fans around the world will be very interested to see how the footballing legend gets on.
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