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UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has backed Dani Carvajal to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or award. The Real Madrid defender has emerged as one of the favorites for the prestigious individual award in the wake of Spain's Euro 2024 triumph.
Carvajal played a key role in La Roja's record-breaking fourth European Championship title. He made five appearances and scored in Spain's 3-0 win over Croatia during the group stages. Winning the Euros capped off a terrific season for the 32-year-old, who also won the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and Supercopa de Espana with Real Madrid.
The Spanish right-back was also integral to Los Blancos' success in the 2023-24 season. Most notably, he scored the opening goal in their 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final. Overall, Carvajal registered six goals and five assists in 41 appearances across competitions last term.
Tuporia, a die-hard Real Madrid fan who idolizes Messi and sees him as the greatest of all time, believes Carvajal deserves to be the next Ballon d’Or winner. The mixed martial artist backed the Madrid star for the award on the back of a successful campaign, saying (via Madrid Zone):
"Dani Carvajal deserves the Ballon d’Or, he won everything."
Dani Carvajal will hope to defy the odds by becoming the first defender to win the prestigious award since Fabio Cannvaro in 2006.
All about the 2024 Ballon d’Or award
The Ballon d’Or is football's most prestigious individual accolade. The award is given to the player adjudged to have had the best performance in the previous season. Since 2022, the award has been based on the season's results instead of the calendar year.
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi is the latest winner. The Argentine beat Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to the award in 2023. Messi is also the record holder of the award with eight Ballons d'Or.
The 2024 ceremony, which is the 68th edition, will take place on October 28, 2024. However, the nominees for the award will be made known on September 4, 2024. Some notable names currently in the race for the Ballon d'Or are Dani Carvajal, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, and Kylian Mbappe.
