For the first time ever, the gala for the Ballon d’Or will also include a presentation for the inaugural awarding of the Kopa Trophy — a prize given to the world's best under 21 player, so really just another Golden Boy because we really need more individual prizes in this sport, don’t we?
Regardless, the 10 finalists for the prize include:
Paco Alcacer has had a pretty decent career for himself by the age of 25. He’s won a LaLiga title with Barcelona and scored more than 60 goals in Spain while earning a handful of call-ups to the Spanish national team.
But since joining Borussia Dortmund on loan this fall, Alcacer has caught fire.
Paco Alcacer stats after Saturday’s crazy 4-3 win over Augsburg are absolutely insane — and the quality of some of his goals are equally ridiculous.
Borussia Dortmund climbed to second in the Bundesliga table — just two points behind leader Bayern Munich following its surprising draw with Augsburg on Tuesday — after thumping Nurnberg 7-0 at the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday.
Since returning from a muscular injury, Christian Pulisic has been at his best for BVB, scoring in back-to-back matches before assisting on Dortmund’s first goal on Wednesday.
The American winger went on an impressive run before carving open Nurnberg’s backline with a sensational pass for Jacob Bruun Larsen’s opener.
After scoring a fluky goal against Club Bruges in the Champions League Tuesday (although a hugely important one that secured all three points for Borussia Dortmund), Christian Pulisic made it two goals in two games after salvaging a point for BVB against Hoffenheim Saturday.
Perhaps most importantly from an individual perspective, the 20-year-old went the full 90 minutes for the first time this season after being sidelined at the start of the campaign with a muscular injury.
In arguably the greatest American Champions League matchday since DaMarcus Beasley roofed one for PSV against Monaco in the 2005 Round of 16, our pubescent USMNT squad registered a game-winning goal and a point-obtaining assist on Tuesday. The goal was somewhat unknowingly golazo'd by Christian Pulisic (celebrating his 20th birthday), and the assist was recorded by Weston McKennie (who actually celebrated his 20th birthday a few weeks ago).
It’s September 18th and every lover of the game can consider Tuesday a great one because it is the day the UEFA Champions League returns. However, this Tuesday is also special because it marks the day of birth of the man who is quickly staking his claim as one of the best to play for the United States men’s national team.
Christian Pulisic, the oft-labeled “future” of the U.S. soccer, leaps into his second decade of living and thus, can no longer be called “one of the best teenagers in the world,” the “teenage talisman” or the “teenage sensation.”
Borussia Dortmund, without the injured Christian Pulisic, traveled to face Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga’s Friday night fixture. It was, if we’re being honest, a bit boring, with just three shots on target the entire match. Not even the second-half introduction of American Bobby Wood could spice things up, with the teams finishing in a 0-0 draw and few Dortmund vs Hannover highlights to speak of.
How fast is Christian Pulisic? The 19-year-old American is usually deployed on the right flank by club side Borussia Dortmund — although he enjoys a more central role when playing with the USMNT — so he’s certainly no slouch when it comes to pace. However, what makes him such a precocious talent is that he’s no one-trick pony — he doesn’t only rely on his blistering speed to create chances and take defenders on.
Around this time last year, ESPN FC used an unnamed source to confirm that Christian Pulisic would reflect on his year at the end of the year.