The nominees for the various awards to be announced at the Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony have now been released. No fewer than six Rouge & Bleu athletes are in the running in various categories: Men’s Ballon d’Or, Kopa Trophy (best young player), Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper) as well as the Women’s Ballon d’Or. Paris Saint-Germain are also nominated for the Women’s Club of the Year award.
Vitinha among 30 nominees
The 24-year-old midfielder is one of the 30 players nominated for the Ballon d’Or 2024. A first in his career.
The Portuguese international had an exceptional 2023-2024 season, making 46 appearances in all competitions for Paris, scoring 9 goals and providing 5 assists. The Paris No17 played a key role in the club’s Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Trophée des Champions triumphs, and Luis Enrique’s side’s fine European campaign, reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. Vitinha, who was also named in Ligue 1’s team of the season, also represented his country at the UEFA European Championship, where they were eliminated in the quarter-finals.
Donnarumma in the
running for a second Yashin Trophy
Winner in 2021, Gianluigi Donnarumma is in contention to win the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the season’s best goalkeeper. The Parisian goalkeeper, who played 42 matches for the capital club between 2023 and 2024, added to his list of honours with the Rouge & Bleu’s Ligue 1 - Coupe de France - Trophée des Champions treble. The 25-year-old Italian also picked up a personal accolade when he was named Ligue 1’s best goalkeeper at the UNFP Awards in May. Following on from his excellent season in Paris, the captain of the Italian national team put in some outstanding performances at Euro 2024, despite his side’s elimination in the Round of 16.
Warren Zaire-Emery
and Joao Neves nominated for Kopa Trophy
What a year it’s been for Warren Zaire-Emery! A real revelation for Paris Saint-Germain last season, the midfielder has been nominated for the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the season’s best player under the age of 21. Having become an essential cog in Luis Enrique’s team when he was just 17, the home-grown player ended the year with 42 appearances in all competitions for Paris, scoring 3 times (including 1 in the Champions League), providing 7 assists and winning 3 titles: French champion, Coupe de France winner and Trophée des Champions winner. Crowned Ligue 1’s best new talent at the UNFP Awards, the Titi also represented the French national team in November 2023, before being called up by Didier Deschamps to take part in the Euros with Les Bleus. It was a colourful season for the 18-year-old, who also extended his contract with PSG until 2029.
Joao Neves, who joined Paris at the beginning of August, is also among the 10 players nominated in this category. The 19-year-old midfielder enjoyed a full season with Benfica in 2023-2024 (55 appearances, 3 goals, 2 assists), which began with a trophy, beating FC Porto in the Portuguese Supercup. The Paris Saint- Germain No87 has made a dazzling start to life in his new colours, with 4 assists in 3 games to his name, and has been quick to make a name for himself with his ability on the ball. He became a Portuguese international in October 2023 in a match against Bosnia, and has now made 9 appearances for his country, including 2 at the last UEFA European Championship, where Portugal reached the quarter-finals.
Geyoro and Katotoamong nominees for women’s
Ballon d’Or
For the first time in her career, Grace Geyoro has been named among the top 30 players in the Ballon d’Or rankings. After arriving at Paris Saint-Germain in 2012, aged just 15, Grace spent her entire formative years at the club. Having cut her teeth with the club’s U19 team, the midfielder played her first official match during the 2014-2015 season. With 240 games under her belt, Grace Geyoro is the most capped player in the current squad.
This season, the Paris Saint-Germain captain played 37 games and scored 15 goals, putting together the best season of her career and leading her team to the final four of the Champions League, the final of the French D1 Championship and winning the Coupe de France 2024 for the 3rd time in her career. On the international front, Grace played for all the youth teams before earning her first senior cap against South Africa in January 2017. Since then, the vice-captain of the Blues has played 87 matches and scored 17 goals for the French national team.
The club’s all-time top scorer Marie-Antoinette Katoto is also nominated for the Ballon d’Or for the first time.
A product of Paris Saint-Germain’s youth academy, ‘MAK’ joined the club in 2011 at the age of 13. In May 2015, she scored the first goal in official competition of her career, the first of many. Since then, the Parisian has finished as top scorer in the French D1 championship in the 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 seasons, and was also voted best player of that season at the UNFP Awards. Back after more than 14 months without a match, the striker returned to the pitch on 17th September 2023. Since then, she has played in a total of 35 matches and scored 20 goals in all competitions.
Marie-Antoinette joined the French national team in 2014 with the U16 squad and played her first game for the senior side in November 2018, in a friendly against Brazil. Since then, Marie has played 45 matches and scored 35 goals for the French team. This summer, the French striker finished top scorer at the Olympic tournament with 5 goals.
Paris Saint-Germain
nominated for Women’s club of the Year
For the first time, Paris Saint-Germain have been nominated in the Women’s Football Club of the Season category. This nomination highlights the collective work of our team, technical staff and all those who support Paris Saint-Germain. This season, the women’s team reached the final four of the Women’s Champions League, the final of the Arkema D1 French Championship and won the Coupe de France.
"Paris Saint-Germain is very proud of our female, male and youth players who have been nominated for the different trophies at the Ballon D’Or ceremony - a fantastic recognition on the global stage. These nominations not only recognise our players’ great talent and sporting achievement, but are also testament to the highest standards of excellence upheld across all our teams at Paris Saint-Germain”, said Paris Saint- Germain President Nasser Al Khelaïfi.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on 28th October 2024 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.