FC Barcelona set Ballon d'Or record
FC Barcelona has no fewer than 12 different players short-listed for an award at the Ballon d'Or gala being organised by France Football next Monday 30 October. Gündogan and Lewandowski are both in line for the men's award, Gavi, Pedri and Balde for the Kopa Trophy and Ter Stegen for the Yashin Trophy. And there are no fewer than six members of the women's team in line to be player of the year.
Mapi Leon, Aitana Bonmatí, Patri Guijarro, Salma Paralluelo, Fridolina Rolfö and Asisat Oshoala were all part of the Champions League winning Barça team, and Bonmatí and Paralluelo also won the World Cup with Spain.
Five in 2022 and 2021
It's nothing unusual to see blaugrana women among the top players on the planet. There have never been this many before, but there were five in both 2022 and 2021
After reaching the Champions League and winning the domestic treble, Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí, Fridolina Rolfö, Asisat Oshoala and Lucy Bronze were all in the running, with Alexia Putellas taking it in the end.
That was her second victory in a row, having also won it in 2021 when Sandra Paños, Lieke Martens, Jennifer Hermoso and Irene Paredes were also nominees.