All eyes are on the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris ahead of the much-anticipated Ballon d’Or event.

Lionel Messi is the clear favorite to win a record eighth Ballon d’Or after leading Argentina to football’s peak.

However, that will not be the only highlight of the evening. The Women’s Ballon d’Or, Yashin Trophy, and Kopa Trophy are also on the schedule, which has piqued the interest of Real Madrid fans.

Real Madrid’s wonderkid receives the award

According to MARCA, Jude Bellingham will be awarded the Kopa trophy later today during the Ballon d’Or ceremony. As a result, he will be crowned the greatest U21 player in the world, surpassing Barcelona’s Gavi as the current holder.

The honor is well-deserved, as he led Dortmund to the Bundesliga title and shined for England at the World Cup in Qatar.

He reportedly won by a landslide and is also the favorite to win the Golden Boy award this season.

Notably, Bellingham has had Ballon d’Or nominations for his achievements with Borussia Dortmund and The Three Lions. His start at Real Madrid is deserving of the renowned accolade, but it will only count for next year’s edition.

Other Real Madrid players in the running
Former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is one of the candidates for the Ballon d’Or. Bellingham, Luka Modric, and Vincius Jr. are the only current Real Madrid players in the mix.

Nonetheless, after Messi’s World Cup victory, none of them have a genuine chance of winning it.

Linda Caicedo, Olga Carmona, and Hayley Raso of Los Blancos are among the nominees for the women’s Ballon d’Or.

Eduardo Camavinga will compete for the Kopa Trophy alongside colleague and favourite Jude Bellingham, while Thibaut Courtois will compete for the Yashin Trophy.