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2021 Ballon d'Or awards ceremony: times, TV, how to watch and stream
The Ballon d'Or gala returns on Monday, as France Football recognises the outstanding performers in the men's and women's game in 2021.
The Ballon d’Or gala returns on Monday, with Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas the favourite to claim the women’s award and a number of players in the running in the men’s field.
Follow Ballon d'Or 2021 live online: ceremony, candidates and results.
Putellas starred for Barcelona as the Catalans romped to a Liga Iberdrola, Copa de la Reina and Champions League treble in 2020/21, the 27-year-old grabbing 26 goals in all competitions, including one in the 4-0 European final rout of Chelsea.
Lewandowski, Messi, Benzema...
Robert Lewandowski would very likely have won the Men’s Ballon d’Or in 2020 had France Football not cancelled its awards because of the covid-19 pandemic, and the Bayern Munich striker is also a major contender to scoop the accolade this year.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema and Chelsea’s Jorginho are some of the other footballers in contention in what is a very open race for the 2021 award.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will also see the Yashin Trophy and Kopa Trophy handed out to the best goalkeeper and under-21 player in the men’s game, respectively.
When and where is the 2021 Ballon d'Or gala?
The 2021 Ballon d’Or gala will take place on Monday 29 November 2021 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
The stars will begin arriving on the red carpet at 6:50pm CET/12:50pm ET/5:50pm GMT, before the ceremony itself gets going at 8:30pm CET/2:30pm ET/7:30pm GMT. It is due to run until 10pm CET/4pm ET/9pm GMT.
The gala is to be hosted by Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, who finished fourth in the voting for the 2007 Ballon d’Or, and French journalist Sandy Heribert.
How to watch the 2021 Ballon d'Or gala in the US and UK
In the US, viewers will be able to watch the 2021 Ballon d'Or gala on Paramount+.
In the UK, there will be a free live stream of the ceremony on Eurosport.co.uk and the Eurosport App. Eurosport's UK coverage will be on its online platforms only; it won't be broadcasting the event on any of its regular TV channels.
2021 Ballon d'Or: live with AS USA
See also:
You will also be able to follow the 2021 Ballon d'Or gala with AS USA's live blog of the event. We'll be in position as the guests start to arrive at the Théâtre du Châtelet, before bringing you details of every award winner in the French capital.
2021 Ballon d'Or gala: the nominees
Men's Ballon d'Or
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain/Italy), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus/Italy), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy), César Azpilicueta (Chelsea/Spain), Rúben Días (Manchester City/Portugal), Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan/Italy), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/Belgium), Jorginho (Chelsea/Italy), Luka Modric (Real Madrid/Croatia), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United/Portugal), Phil Foden (Manchester City/England), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United/Portugal), Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund/Norway), Harry Kane (Tottenham/England), N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea/France), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan/Denmark), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/Poland), Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea/Belgium), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City/Algeria), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan/Argentina), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/France), Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain/France), Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain/Argentina), Gerard Moreno (Villarreal/Spain), Mason Mount (Chelsea/England), Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain/Brazil), Pedri (Barcelona/Spain), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City/England), Luis Suárez (Atlético Madrid/Uruguay).
Women's Ballon d'Or
Kadidiatou Diani (Paris Saint-Germain/France), Fran Kirby (Chelsea/England), Jennifer Hermoso (Barcelona/Spain) Christiane Endler (Olympique Lyon/Chile), Christine Sinclair (Thorns FC/Canada), Ashley Lawrence (Paris Saint-Germain/Canada), Irene Paredes (Paris Saint-Germain/Barcelona/Spain), Jessie Fleming (Chelsea/Canada), Lieke Martens (Barcelona/Netherlands), Sandra Paños (Barcelona/Spain), Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal/Netherlands), Ellen White (Manchester City/England), Pernille Harder (Chelsea/Denmark), Sam Mewis (North Carolina Courage/United States), Wendie Renard (Olympique Lyon/France), Marie-Antoinette Katoto (Paris Saint-Germain/France), Stina Blackstenius (Hacken/Sweden), Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea/Sweden), Sam Kerr (Chelsea/Australia), Alexia Putellas (Barcelona/Spain).
Yashin Trophy
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid/Belgium), Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan/Paris Saint-Germain/Italy), Ederson (Manchester City/Brazil), Édouard Mendy (Chelsea/Senegal), Samir Handanovic (Inter Milan), Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa/Argentina), Keylor Navas (Paris Saint-Germain/Costa Rica), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich/Germany), Jan Oblak (Atlético Madrid/Slovenia), Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City/Denmark).
Kopa Trophy
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/England), Jeremy Doku (Rennes/Belgium), Ryan Gravenberch (Ajax/Netherlands), Mason Greenwood (Manchester United/England), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain/Portugal), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich/Germany), Pedri (Barcelona/Spain), Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/USA), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal/England), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen/Germany).