WILL MADRID BE ABLE TO REPEAT BARÇA'S GREAT FEAT?
Ballon d'Or: Real Madrid dreams of equaling FC Barcelona's historic podium
Published:6/09/2024 - 12:49h
Updated:6/09/2024 - 14:52h
Real Madrid has managed to include seven of its players among the 30 finalists for the 2024 Ballon d'Or. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is speculation about the option that three of its stars could form the podium, thus emulating the feat achieved by Barcelona in 2010
One of the great milestones that FC Barcelona can be proud of is that mythical scene that took place in 2010. In the final podium for the Ballon d'Or that year, the three finalists were players from the blue and red team: Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, and Leo Messi. It was the Argentine who ultimately received the award.
This remarkable event had only occurred previously on two occasions, none of them involving a Spanish club. These instances happened in 1988 with Marco Van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard, all from AC Milan, and in 1989, curiously, also courtesy of the 'Rossoneri' side. However, on this occasion, instead of Gullit, Franco Baresi was part of the trio. In both editions, it is noteworthy that Van Basten was the one who ended up winning the historic award.
Since then, no one else had achieved it until the Catalan team, after an impeccable season from their 'jugglers', made history again. A legend that in 2024 will seek to emulate Real Madrid, a club that, after a successful 2023/24 season in which they won the Champions League, LaLiga EA Sports, and the Spanish Super Cup, managed to place six of its players on the list of nominees for the prestigious award to be presented on October 28 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. They are Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham, Toni Kroos, Fede Valverde, Dani Carvajal, and Antonio Rüdiger. If we include Kylian Mbappé, who, for the purposes of the contest, is listed as a PSG player, there would be seven nominees.
Real Madrid has serious chances of matching the historic Catalan podium
Undeniably, with so many standout assets, including names like 'Vini Jr.', Bellingham, or Mbappé, the 'merengues' have the opportunity to fantasize about recreating a historic image of this caliber. However, it is clear that if they were to recreate this episode, there would be a significant difference compared to what the Barcelona team achieved.
What would that difference be? Well, when FC Barcelona achieved it in 2010, they did it with three players developed in-house at La Masia, while Real Madrid, no matter how hard they try, could not replicate this aspect. This doesn't diminish the achievement, but it does add a special touch.
