Ballon d'Or: Paris awaits new king, Yamal or Dembele, the question is now?

Whoever receives the Ballon d'Or tonight from Ronaldinho's hands in Paris will spark an inevitable debate: deserved or not? The prestigious award from France Football will crown football's monarch for the 2024/25 season, but don't expect a unanimous ruler - every candidate comes with arguments "for" and "against".

This year's spotlight falls on Barcelona's dazzling duo, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, and PSG's own star, Ousmane Dembele. Alongside Dembele, eight more Paris players have been nominated, though none are expected to attend due to the rescheduled Ligue 1 clash with Olympique Marseille. Rumors even swirl that no one from PSG will show up at all, supposedly because word has leaked that the award is heading to Yamal - though such whispers remain unconfirmed.

In the end, only the winner will be remembered. That's the ultimate truth of the Ballon d'Or. Polemics fade, debates cool down, but the champion will forever hold a place on football's Olympus. For all FIFA's efforts to push its "The Best" award, the Ballon d'Or remains untouchable: the sport's true Oscar, with a 69-year tradition to back its prestige.

The voting is as intricate as it is global: one journalist from each of FIFA's top 100 ranked nations casts a ballot for ten players. First place earns 15 points, second 12, third 10, and so on (8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1). Totals are tallied, and the new king is crowned.

The women's Ballon d'Or follows the same process, with 30 finalists in contention. Both men's and women's competitions also feature the Kopa Trophy (best U21), the Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper), as well as honors for best coaches, best teams, the Gerd Muller Award for top scorer, and the Socrates Award for humanitarian work.

Still, the spotlight shines brightest on the main prize. Gone are the days when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo monopolized the podium. The field is wide open. Last year, Rodri edged Vinicius Junior by the slimmest of margins - 1,170 points to 1,129 - a razor-thin gap compared to Messi's dominant win in 2023 or Karim Benzema's in 2022.

This year promises to be just as close. Lobbying and campaigns may sway opinions, but at least three, perhaps four candidates carry legitimate claims. Others, more discreet, might also feel overlooked despite strong credentials.

So as Paris prepares for another golden night, the question remains: who would be your choice?