Panafrican News Agency

Coronavirus: 'The Ballon d'Or will not be awarded this year'

Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - The Ballon d'Or, the most prestigious individual award in the world of football, will not be awarded this year (2020) because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This decision was taken by the L'Equipe Group to which France Football (FF) belongs, which created the award back in 1956.

In a press release published on Monday, one of the magazine's managers explained: "that such a singular year cannot - and should not - be treated as an ordinary year".

According to him, "only two months (January and February), out of the eleven generally required to form an opinion and decide between the best, it is far too little to gauge and judge, given that the other matches have taken place - or will take place - then in other conditions (closed-door, five replacements, European Final 8 in a single match) which are too far from the usual panorama".

Therefore, in order to preserve the "credibility and legitimacy" of international football's most sought-after individual award, it has been decided not to be awarded this year. Instead, "FF" will designate at the end of the year the all-time team to be elected by the usual Ballon d'Or jury, and eleven winners will thus be rewarded.

Last year, the trophy was awarded to FC Barcelona's Argentinian player, Lionel Messi, for his sixth Ballon d'Or. Absolute record.

-0- PANA BKN/IS/SOC/MTA/VAO 20July2020