Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ballon d'Or, Champions League, UEFA
UEFA have announced that they will co-organise the Ballon d’Or from next year, meaning their annual Player of the Year awards are set to be scrapped.
On Friday morning, it emerged that the Ballon d'Or will change in 2024 as European football's governing body team up with French media company Groupe Amaury; the owner of France Football.
A number of new awards will be introduced, including prizes for the men's and women's Coach of the Year.
The deal also means that UEFA will no longer host their annual Player of the Year awards, which have traditionally been handed out in August.
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This year, Manchester City forward Erling Haaland was named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year after beating the likes of Lionel Messi and Kevin de Bruyne to the prize.
As a result of UEFA scrapping their annual ceremony, Lionel Messi will no longer be able to beat Cristiano Ronaldo's trophy haul when it comes to UEFA Player of the Year awards.
Ronaldo won the POTY award three times in 2013–14, 2015–16 and 2016–17, while Messi lifted it twice in 2010–11 and 2014–2015 during his trophy-laden spell at Barcelona.
Other winners include Andres Iniesta, who lifted the award after a memorable season in 2011–12, and Franck Ribery, who missed out on the 2013 Ballon d'Or in controversial circumstances.
Luka Modric, Virgil van Dijk, Robert Lewandowski, Jorginho and Karim Benzema were also crowned winners of the award.
Following the news on Friday, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said UEFA and Ballon d'Or are "synonyms of sporting excellence" and that their partnership would be a "natural blend of prominence and a synergy that promises to be nothing short of exceptional."
A UEFA statement added: “Together, UEFA and Groupe Amaury aim to enhance the stature and global reach of the awards while fostering a sense of unity and collaboration within the football community."
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