Tag: dOr

Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City pride in Ademola Lookman, Jude Bellingham Ballon d’Or rank

The English Football League has enhanced its reputation as a healthy conveyor belt of talent on the world stage in recent years.

From burgeoning academy hotshots to Premier League loanees, a whole host of esteemed global names have spent shares of their formative years cutting their teeth throughout the EFL pyramid.

In particular, we’ve begun to see an increasing number of players emerge from the ranks of EFL clubs; John Stones started off with Barnsley, Ollie Watkins made a name for himself at Exeter City and then with Brentford, Jarrod Bowen launched his career at Hull City, and it all began for Eberechi Eze at QPR.

All four of those EFL graduates represented England at EURO2024, providing fresh reminders of the talent that exists beneath the Premier League.

At this moment in time, though, Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City will be filled with more pride than most following Monday evening’s prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, as both Ademola Lookman and Jude Bellingham made the final 30-man list.

Charlton Athletic will be proud of Ademola Lookman following Ballon d’Or nomination

It’s somewhat easier to forget than Bellingham’s memorable one-season impact at Birmingham – but Lookman initially started off with Charlton nearly 10 years ago now.

A product of the Addicks’ academy system, Lookman elevated to the first-team frame and enjoyed a breakout season during the 2015/16 campaign by scoring five goals from 24 Championship appearances for Charlton.

They managed to keep him around in League One following relegation, but Lookman ended up leaving for Everton in January. The versatile forward never quite made the grade at Goodison Park and didn’t fare a lot better at Red Bull Leipzig, who loaned him out to both Fulham and Leicester City before cutting their losses by offloading him to Atalanta in the summer of 2022.

Over in Italy, Lookman has gone from strength-to-strength. He made more than 20 goal involvements across all competitions in each of his first two seasons with the club, and marked his crowning moment by scoring a stunning hat-trick in last term’s 3-0 UEFA Europa League victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

The former Charlton flyer has started this season in a rich vein of form, returning four goals and four assists apiece from just six Serie A matches. His talents were recognised in the game’s grandest ceremony, where he finished 14th in the Ballon d’Or rankings – scoring above the likes of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer and Antonio Rudiger.

Charlton, then, have every right to be extremely proud of the success which Lookman has somewhat-unexpectedly enjoyed in his career.

And, as the 27-year-old continues to check off more and more milestones in what’s been a stunning upwards trajectory over the last few years, Charlton will surely be hoping to strike gold with the emergence of another youngster capable of emulating Lookman.

Jude Bellingham’s Ballon d’Or ranking is the latest sign of Birmingham City success

Meanwhile, Blues may not have seen their former prodigy in attendance as Real Madrid boycotted the event after learning that Brazilian forward Vinicus Junior was to lose out on his first Ballon d’Or trophy to Manchester City’s Rodri, but they’ll nonetheless be glowing with pride.

Bellingham, who enjoyed a stunning year at club level with Los Blancos, finished third in the final rankings and had actually been predicted to win the Ballon d’Or by many. His time will come, though. Make no mistake about it.

For the meantime, his status as one of the very best players in world football at 21-years-old has been underlined even further. Birmingham will be extremely proud to see an academy graduate enjoying such storied success at the highest echelons of the game, and they also deserve credit for kick-starting his career.

Jude Bellingham’s career stats across all competitions, as per FotMob
Season	Division	Club	Appearances	Goals	Assists
2019/20	Championship	Birmingham City	44	4	2
2020/21	Bundesliga	Borussia Dortmund	46	4	4
2021/22	Bundesliga	Borussia Dortmund	44	6	13
2022/23	Bundesliga	Borussia Dortmund	42	14	6
2023/24	LaLiga	Real Madrid	42	23	13
2024/25 [as of November 1]	LaLiga	Real Madrid	11	0	3

That’s because many clubs beneath the Category One academy threshold, and particularly those within the EFL, are often susceptible to losing their finest prospects before their graduation to first-team level, but Birmingham were able to retain Bellingham and ended up getting one memorable campaign out of him.

Bellingham, of course, made the step-up to the club’s first-team fold at the tender age of 16 and became the youngest player in Blues history when he debuted against Portsmouth in the EFL Cup aged just 16 years and 38 days before going on to make 44 appearances across all competitions during the 2019/20 campaign.

Jude Bellingham playing for Birmingham City

The midfielder played with both confidence and composure far beyond his youthful years and was duly crowned as the EFL’s Young Player of the Season.

Bellingham, who famously saw his shirt number retired by Birmingham, soon became the most expensive 17-year-old of all time by earning a £25 million move to Borussia Dortmund that summer after reportedly snubbing advances from Manchester United.

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The rest is history as far as Bellingham’s career is concerned, with the five-star midfielder going on to play a leading role on all fronts for both club and country. It all started at Birmingham, though, and they’ll doubtless accompany Charlton in taking away real pride from Monday.

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November 1, 2024

‘I Won the Ballon d’Or, Rejected Real Madrid & Almost Bankrupted Charlton Athletic’

Allan Simonsen’s career path is about as far from conventional as it gets. The Danish legend is a Ballon d’Or winner who lit up the footballing world with his goalscoring prowess in the late 70s and early 80s with Borussia Monchengladbach and Barcelona.

However, his next move was to Charlton Athletic, then in England’s second tier – a transfer that is no doubt one of the most bizarre in football history. Here is a look at the Dane’s remarkable move and how it came about.

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Ballon d’Or and Barcelona

Simonsen enjoyed great success in Germany and Spain

In 1972, Simonsen – still yet to turn 20 – swapped his boyhood club Vejle BK for a move to Borussia Monchengladbach, who were then the defending Bundesliga champions.

The Dane got off to a slow start in Germany but finally broke into the side in his third campaign and his star rocketed from there. Three successive German top-flight titles followed, as well as a DFB-Pokal, a DFL-Supercup and two UEFA Cups.

However, the 1976/77 season was surely the pinnacle of his career. After helping Gladbach win their third Bundesliga crown in a row and reach the final of the European Cup – Simonsen scored a spectacular equaliser, but the team eventually lost 3-1 to Liverpool – Simonsen won the Ballon d’Or and was crowned the best player in Europe, edging out both Kevin Keegan and Michel Platini for the award. Keegan would go on to win in each of the next two years but was denied three successive gongs by Simonsen.

That individual acclaim did not go unnoticed elsewhere on the continent and, in 1979, the striker joined Barcelona after running down his contract and went on to lift the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in his three seasons with the Catalan giants.

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Swapping the Nou Camp for The Valley

Simonsen’s time at Barcelona was not all rosy, however. The arrival of all-time great Diego Maradona in 1982 saw Simonsen shunted down the pecking order. Though he and the Argentina star did not occupy the same position, Spanish football rules allowed clubs to name a maximum of two foreign players in their starting line-ups, meaning Simonsen was forced to compete with Maradona and German superstar Bernd Schuster, resulting in a dramatic downturn in playing time.

Understandably unhappy at his situation, Simonsen sought a move away from the Nou Camp. There was interest from Barcelona’s eternal La Liga rivals Real Madrid, as well as English top-flight outfit Tottenham Hotspur – yet the striker opted to move to Charlton, who were in the English Second Division, instead. It was a move that shocked the footballing world and seemed like the unlikeliest of coups for the Addicks.

In an interview in 2013, Simonsen explained his decision to choose Charlton over the more illustrious clubs that expressed interest, saying:

“I was very stressed in my time at Barcelona, so I needed to calm down with my family and have more time with them.

“I had heard a lot of good things about Charlton at that time and Mr Hulyer, who was the chairman, wanted to build a new team around me as well. I thought it was a very good chance to try something completely new, that’s why I chose Charlton.”

3:20

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Charlton Nightmare and Financial Ruin

The Addicks could not afford Simonsen

Charlton, motivated by the understandable logic that signing a former Ballon d’Or winner – or any player of requisite quality to start for a club like Barcelona – jumped at the chance to acquire Simonsen.

However, the club overreached financially with his transfer. On top of the £300k fee paid to Barcelona came the wages associated with a superstar – and the Addicks could not cope. There had been hope that the acquisition of such a famous player would generate additional income through increased ticket sales, but Simonsen played just 16 times, scoring nine goals, before returning to boyhood club Vejle BK after Charlton failed to pay his wages of £1,300 per week.

Charlton’s financial irresponsibility had further repercussions as the club’s debts continued to mount, preventing them from paying for the refurbishment works necessary on their stadium after it had to be closed due to safety concerns. They were not allowed to re-open without renovating and were subsequently forced to ground-share with West Ham United and Crystal Palace for the best part of a decade before eventually returning home to The Valley in 1992.

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October 21, 2024
‘I Won the Ballon d’Or, Rejected Real Madrid & Almost Bankrupted Charlton Athletic’

Allan Simonsen’s career path is about as far from conventional as it gets. The Danish legend is a Ballon d’Or winner who lit up the footballing world with his goalscoring prowess in the late 70s and early 80s with Borussia Monchengladbach and Barcelona.

However, his next move was to Charlton Athletic, then in England’s second tier – a transfer that is no doubt one of the most bizarre in football history. Here is a look at the Dane’s remarkable move and how it came about.

Related

Why the Ballon d’Or is the Most Prestigious Award in Football

The Ballon d’Or has been around for over 50 years. We look at where its lucrative status came from.

Ballon d’Or and Barcelona

Simonsen enjoyed great success in Germany and Spain

In 1972, Simonsen – still yet to turn 20 – swapped his boyhood club Vejle BK for a move to Borussia Monchengladbach, who were then the defending Bundesliga champions.

The Dane got off to a slow start in Germany but finally broke into the side in his third campaign and his star rocketed from there. Three successive German top-flight titles followed, as well as a DFB-Pokal, a DFL-Supercup and two UEFA Cups.

However, the 1976/77 season was surely the pinnacle of his career. After helping Gladbach win their third Bundesliga crown in a row and reach the final of the European Cup – Simonsen scored a spectacular equaliser, but the team eventually lost 3-1 to Liverpool – Simonsen won the Ballon d’Or and was crowned the best player in Europe, edging out both Kevin Keegan and Michel Platini for the award. Keegan would go on to win in each of the next two years but was denied three successive gongs by Simonsen.

That individual acclaim did not go unnoticed elsewhere on the continent and, in 1979, the striker joined Barcelona after running down his contract and went on to lift the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in his three seasons with the Catalan giants.

Related

20 Greatest Barcelona Players of All Time [Ranked]

Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona and Ronaldo Nazario all feature among Barcelona’s greatest ever players.

Swapping the Nou Camp for The Valley

Simonsen’s time at Barcelona was not all rosy, however. The arrival of all-time great Diego Maradona in 1982 saw Simonsen shunted down the pecking order. Though he and the Argentina star did not occupy the same position, Spanish football rules allowed clubs to name a maximum of two foreign players in their starting line-ups, meaning Simonsen was forced to compete with Maradona and German superstar Bernd Schuster, resulting in a dramatic downturn in playing time.

Understandably unhappy at his situation, Simonsen sought a move away from the Nou Camp. There was interest from Barcelona’s eternal La Liga rivals Real Madrid, as well as English top-flight outfit Tottenham Hotspur – yet the striker opted to move to Charlton, who were in the English Second Division, instead. It was a move that shocked the footballing world and seemed like the unlikeliest of coups for the Addicks.

In an interview in 2013, Simonsen explained his decision to choose Charlton over the more illustrious clubs that expressed interest, saying:

“I was very stressed in my time at Barcelona, so I needed to calm down with my family and have more time with them.

“I had heard a lot of good things about Charlton at that time and Mr Hulyer, who was the chairman, wanted to build a new team around me as well. I thought it was a very good chance to try something completely new, that’s why I chose Charlton.”

3:20

Related

10 Biggest Football Clubs in London (Ranked)

London is famous for its range of football teams across the capital city.

Charlton Nightmare and Financial Ruin

The Addicks could not afford Simonsen

Charlton, motivated by the understandable logic that signing a former Ballon d’Or winner – or any player of requisite quality to start for a club like Barcelona – jumped at the chance to acquire Simonsen.

However, the club overreached financially with his transfer. On top of the £300k fee paid to Barcelona came the wages associated with a superstar – and the Addicks could not cope. There had been hope that the acquisition of such a famous player would generate additional income through increased ticket sales, but Simonsen played just 16 times, scoring nine goals, before returning to boyhood club Vejle BK after Charlton failed to pay his wages of £1,300 per week.

Charlton’s financial irresponsibility had further repercussions as the club’s debts continued to mount, preventing them from paying for the refurbishment works necessary on their stadium after it had to be closed due to safety concerns. They were not allowed to re-open without renovating and were subsequently forced to ground-share with West Ham United and Crystal Palace for the best part of a decade before eventually returning home to The Valley in 1992.

Source link

October 21, 2024
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo left off list of contenders for Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi may be considered by many as the greatest football player of all time, but the Argentina star was omitted from the list of nominations to win this year’s Ballon d’Or award — the sport’s most prized individual honour.

The record eight-time winner and holder of the trophy did not feature in a list of 30 players in the running for the award, which will be presented October 29 (AEST).

Also excluded was Messi’s great rival, five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo. It was the first time since 2003 that neither player made the list.

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Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are among the names nominated.

Messi, who left European soccer behind when moving from Paris Saint-Germain to Inter Miami last year, is still delivering at a high level and helped Argentina win the Copa America in July.

The 37-year-old beat Manchester City striker Haaland to the award last year, but will not defend his title.

Lionel Messi of Inter Miami. Yasser Bakhsh via Getty Images

Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 — the start of a four-year streak of taking the top prize.

He was first nominated in 2006.

Messi and Ronaldo turned the competition into a near-two-way contest during the peak of their careers — winning it a combined 13 times from 2008.

Ronaldo’s first nomination was 2004.

Their omission from the list of nominations is likely due to leaving top-flight European club football, with Ronaldo having moved to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

A new generation of talent has emerged in the form of Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, Bellingham and Haaland. Emerging teenage star Lamine Yamal of Spain was also nominated.

While City striker Haaland was runner-up to Messi last year, the favourites to be crowned Ballon d’Or winner this time around include Real Madrid pair Vinicius Junior and Bellingham, as well as City and Spain midfielder Rodri.

Messi was also left off the list in 2022, but powered back to inspire Argentina to the World Cup title later that year and won his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023.

However, at the latter end of his career and now playing in MLS, he may find it harder to hold off the challenge of his younger rivals for the title of the game’s best.

It is also notable that he was omitted despite winning a major international honour with Argentina this year.

Aitana Bonmati, who won the women’s award last year is nominated again. US stars Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Alyssa Naeher and Lindsey Horan were also on the 30-long list of contenders.

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the UEFA Super Cup Final. AP

The awards are voted for by a jury of men’s and women’s football journalists.

Created by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or was first awarded to England great Stanley Matthews in 1956.

Legends of the game including Eusébio, Bobby Charlton, George Best, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane have all won it in the past.

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September 5, 2024