Ballon d’Or Announces New Awards – For Young Talent & Women

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will form part of a panel that will vote on a new award added to the Ballon d’Or family this year: the Kopa Trophy.

Named after Raymond Kopa, the legendary Reims, Angers, Real Madrid and France striker, who won the inaugural Ballon d’Or in 1958, the award will go to the game’s outstanding young player aged under 21.

Ronaldo and Messi, though, will not be alone on a panel of illustrious talents. Joining the pair will be all the surviving Ballon d’Or winners, from Luis Suarez, the oldest winner still alive, to the Juventus and Barcelona stars, who have monopolised the individual award for a decade.

Furthermore, there will be a Ballon d’Or equivalent for female players.

This prize has been welcomed by France international Wendy Renard, who plays for Lyon and is a Champions League winner.