Granit Xhaka wrote history when he was selected as one of the 30 footballers who would compete for the Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Albanian to aim for the prestigious "France Football" trophy.
And this Monday, as the ceremony is expected to start at 20:00 in Paris, it has been revealed that Xhaka will be ranked 16th among the nominees for the Ballon d'Or.
He has left behind names like Federico Valverde, world champion goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, Inter midfield star Hakan Calhanoglu, or even English super talent Bukayo Saka.
Xhaka arrives at this important step in his career after a fantastic season with Bayer Leverkusen, where as the engine of the midfield he led "Aspirinat" to the title of champion in the Bundesliga and won the German Cup, lost the Europa League final.
Last edition, the 32-year-old played 33 games and scored 3 goals for Leverkusen.
On connait les joueurs classés de la 20e à la 16e place au Ballon d'Or 2024
— L'ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) October 28, 2024
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