London celebrates 70th Ballon d'Or with throne and Spanish record
London hosts tonight the 70th edition of the Ballon d'Or. The gala starts at 9:00 p.m. at the London Palladium and will be broadcast on Movistar Plus+. It is the first time the event is being held outside France, in tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, the Englishman who won the first trophy in 1956.
Gala details
The presenters will be Thierry Henry and Kate Scott, who will keep the mystery about the winners until the nominees enter the theatre. No footballer will know if he has won before opening the envelope; only five people in the world know the hidden name in the envelopes. The ceremony promises a night of suspense and elegance.
In the men's category, Harry Kane starts as the top favourite. The Bayern striker has scored 73 goals in 65 official matches, a run that is already reflected in the Ballon d'Or odds. Behind him appear Kylian Mbappé and the young Lamine Yamal, although the latter's chances have dwindled in the last 48 hours.
Spanish favourites and nominations
Fabián Ruiz would be a strong alternative if the jury valued season titles above all, but he does not feature among the real contenders. Luis de la Fuente is the leading candidate for Best Coach, with 43 official matches unbeaten after leading Spain to victory in the World Cup final against Argentina. He competes with Luis Enrique, Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery and Vincent Kompany.
Lamine Yamal and rivals force Ballon d'Or tie‑break plan
In the women's category, Alexia Putellas leads the betting pools and, if she wins, would add her third award, matching Aitana Bonmatí. Her main rivals are Ewa Pajor and Mariona Caldentey. The night will have a strong Spanish accent: of the 100 nominations, 26 are from Spanish professionals, a record for a single country.
There are six Spanish finalists in the men's Ballon d'Or, six in the women's, and four coaches. France Football keeps a popular vote open to choose the best winner in the trophy's history, which closes on Tuesday, October 27.
Dean Ashton says Harry Kane lacks wow factor for Ballon d’Or
The official Ballon d'Or tweet ended with a "Good night! 🤫 #ballondor", highlighting the secrecy surrounding the award. The anticipation remains high as the nominees await the final announcement on the historic Palladium stage.