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.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is facing mounting pressure following a series of disappointing results, including early exits from both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, and a slump to 14th place in the Premier League.
Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara has been vocal about his dissatisfaction, stating, "It's time to go. Postecoglou is out of his depth at this level."
In light of these challenges, speculation has intensified regarding potential successors.
According to reports, Andoni Iraola and Thomas Frank are leading candidates to replace Postecoglou, both listed at 4/1 odds.
Former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is also in consideration.
Despite the mounting pressure, Postecoglou remains focused on his role, acknowledging the difficulties but expressing determination to improve the team's fortunes.
He remarked, "It's a tough moment, but we are working hard to turn things around."
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