While the Ballon d’Or ceremony acknowledges the world’s best football player, it also includes other awards like the Socrates Award, check out this year’s nominees list, first-ever winner, and the meaning of the award in football
The Ballon d’Or ceremony 2023 will take place tonight at 6 pm GMT / 2 pm ET on Monday, October 30, 2023 at the Theatre du Chatelet, Paris.
What is the Socrates Award given at the Ballon d’Or Ceremony, meaning in football and nominees list in 2023
An insightful thread on Socrates Award:
It was introduced last year to honor players for their off-the-field efforts.
Named after the Brazilian legend Socrates, it was created to highlight players who use their resources to help in social & environmental causes. pic.twitter.com/ZN4POZ79oR
— Mayank Goel (@MayankRMFC) October 30, 2023
Sadio Mane was the inaugural winner of the Socrates Award in 2022 as recognition for his extraordinary social commitment. He has been supporting with donations to help build schools, a hospital and other infrastructure in his home region of Casamance in Senegal. pic.twitter.com/2h4BiW9VyE
— Mayank Goel (@MayankRMFC) October 30, 2023
The Ballon d’Or award recognizes the best player in the world throughout a given period.
Aside from this award, there are other trophies given out during this ceremony, including the award for the best goal. Aside from these awards, one of these prestigious awards – the Socrates Award, has nothing to do with football.
The Socrates Award 2023
The Socrates Award is a new award category introduced last year to honor professional football players for their off-the-field efforts. The award, which is named after the Brazilian legend, highlights football players who use their resources to benefit in social and environmental causes and make positive impacts beyond the game.
Socrates Award 2023 nominees list
Given below is the nominees list of this year’s edition of the famous award:
- Alex Morgan
- Asisat Oshoala
- Marcus Rashford
- Vinicius Jr.
- Antonio Rüdiger
American icon Alex Morgan is one of the favorites to win the award, and she recieved a nomination for her work at the Alex Morgan Foundation. Another favorite to win the award is Asisat Oshoala, who recieved a nomination for her works with the Oshoala Academy. On the other hand, Marcus Rashford received a nomination for initiating the Child Food Poverty Task Force. The organization helps kids get proper nutrition, while Vinicius Jr. received a nomination for his Instituto Vini Jr. Antonio Rüdiger who also features on the list, recieved a nomination for his efforts in the Antonio Rüdiger Foundation. The foundation helps people in Sierra Leone.
The Socrates Award first-ever winner
Senegalese international footballer Sadio Mane, who currently plays for Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr, is the first ever winner of the Socrates Award. He won the prestigious award last year, in 2022 in recognition of his various charity works for his native Senegal.
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