By Adelani Ogunrinade
Flashing camera’s captured football elites hand in hand with their partners on the red carpet of the Theatre du Chatelet. Elegant Tuxedos and evening dresses glamorized the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony on a beautiful Autumn night in Paris.
The fascinating decade long battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the golden ball once highlighted Ballon d’or award evenings. Leading up to the 68th edition of the high-end event, the news broke that neither Vinicius Junior nor any Real Madrid representatives would be in attendance. Rumours circulated that the ‘Kings of Europe’ boycotted the gala due to secret knowledge that the night belonged to Rodri.
Perhaps another reason for the absence of Los Blancos was the presence of Lamine Yamal. The sight of the wonder kid dressed in all black could have possibly triggered traumatic flashbacks of the 4-0 thrashing at the hands of their bitter rivals. Just days after becoming the youngest goal scorer in El’Clasico history, 17 year-old Lamine Yamal was honoured with the Kopa Trophy for the World’s Best Young Player. Born to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother, Lamine is certainly a beacon of hope for poor African children, chasing down soccer balls at sunset in gruesome ghettos.
African youths were given more reasons to keep those dreams within their souls burning as Ivorian icon Didier Drogba exquisitely executed his role as the master of ceremony. Aspiring young goalkeepers from the rough streets of Gqeberha applauded Ronwen Williams as ‘Mama Africa’ beamed with palpable pride. Mamelodi sundown’s penalty saving specialist became the first South-African to be nominated for the Yachin trophy.
Another African history maker that attended the lush affair in the French capital was Ademola Lookman. After a superb year for both Atalanta and the Super Eagles, the dapper looking Nigerian ‘hitman’ was the only African player to be nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Unfortunately, Africa’s lone hope for glory was not blessed with the same luck as George Weah in 1995.
The first professional footballer to become a president and the only African winner of the Ballon d’Or to date presented the most prestigious award of the evening. As the former Liberian head of state gradually opened the sealed envelope with the winner’s name inside, some attendees repeatedly chanted ‘VINI’ !!!
Didier Drogba’s co-host Sandy Heribert calmed down the anxious crowd before George Weah calmly blurted out the name….RODRI.
Let’s hope the 30 year wait for an African Ballon d’or winner will be over next year!