PARIS: France Football Magazine, famous for handing out the Ballon D’Or every year to the best male footballers in the world has announced that for the first time in history, it will be doing the same for women’s football starting this year.
The magazine attributes the decision to the rise of football clubs having their own women’s teams such as Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and PSG competing with each other in premier competitions such as the UEFA Champions League. A few months ago, Barcelona was the first club to fly it women’s team along with their male counterparts for its pre-season tour of the USA and signed the same global sponsor for both, Black and Decker.
The 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada was watched by 764 million people across the globe and seven matches attracted more than 50,000 spectators.
“The birth of the Ballon d’Or is another step towards the evolution of our sport which is progressing well.” France’s Wendy Renard, who plays for Olympique Lyonnais in the Ligue 1 said to the magazine.
“It’s a step forward, women’s football is evolving and inequality is shrinking even though there is still room for improvement.
“I’ve always wanted to see a woman win this prestigious award.” Brazil’s Marta Vieira da Silva, who was on Monday, adjudged the winner of The BEST FIFA women’s player of the year for the 2017-18 season in London, said.
A panel of journalists from France’s leading media brand, L’Equipe and France Football Magazine will choose the 15 contenders for the first-ever women’s Ballon D’Or trophy on 8 October at the same time as the list of 30 players for the men’s award.
The winners of the prestigious honour and the Kopa Trophy rewarding the best young Under-21 player which will be nominated by the former winners of the Ballon d’Or, will be announced on 3 December.
