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The Guardian
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
From Dembélé to Salah: six contenders in an open race for men's Ballon d'Or
George Weah remains the only African to win the prize and the Liverpool forward's form in the past year has put him in a similar bracket to the Liberian. 'The Egyptian King' scored 29 goals and assisted a further 18 to lead the Reds to the Premier League title, but he could not take them further than the last 16 in the Champions League. Arne Slot played Salah in every league match, a sign of his importance and his stupendous fitness. 'He's had very, very, very good seasons at Liverpool but this one probably stands out in terms of numbers,' Arne Slot said of Salah's Ballon d'Or chances. 'If there's ever a chance for him, it would be this season. If not, then he's going to try to push even harder next season'. Turning 33 in mid-June, this might be Salah's final chance to achieve the highest personal accolade in the game, even if his head coach thinks otherwise. Finally, at 28, the forward is fulfilling his promise and filling his mantelpiece with shiny trinkets in the process. Dembélé's career was on the slide when he moved to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in 2023, but back in France he has looked more comfortable. Luis Enrique, a former Barcelona manager, is getting the best out of him, even after dropping the France international for disciplinary reasons in October. His pace and skill have traumatised defenders alongside that of Désiré Doué – this year's vote might come too early for the talented teenager – across the continent and helped PSG secure a historic first Champions League triumph to complete the treble. Dembélé makes beating defenders look easy, scoring 21 goals in 29 Ligue 1 appearances in the process. Having started the season in Naples, the Georgian can boast the rare feat of winning two domestic titles – Serie A and Ligue 1 – in the same year. Oh and he lifted the Champions League. Not bad for a lad who used to play for Rustavi. Everyone has known about Kvaratskhelia's qualities for a long time; that ability to breeze past players, going left and right, while possessing a vicious strike to test the fingers of any goalkeeper. The son of a former international – although his father Badri played for Azerbaijan – Kvaratskhelia's path to stardom may not have taken the most direct route. The 24-year-old played three seasons in Russia before Napoli came calling. Kvaratskhelia made a difference when it mattered for PSG in Europe, taking them to the extra level they struggled to find in the league stage. Remember that bloke who once saved Leeds from relegation? Well, he is now a serious contender for the Ballon d'Or, which is an especially strange thing to consider given 12 months ago Barcelona would have quite happily waved the Brazilian off into the sunset in the hope of getting some much-needed cash. Hansi Flick always wanted Raphinha to stay because he appreciated the 28-year-old's qualities. and he has become an influential on-pitch figure at Barcelona. A goal every other league game - and 34 in all competitions - was a key reason behind Barça becoming La Liga champions for a 28th time, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. And Raphinha, used predominantly on the left-wing, will for ever be a hero in Barcelona after scoring two goals in last month's 4-3 clásico win over Real Madrid. There are few guarantees in life but if Lamine Yamal does not win the Ballon d'Or this year then he will definitely do so in the future, and almost certainly many times. The 17-year-old is a generational talent, already laden with medals and personal awards. Last summer it was the European Championship; this season the Copa del Rey and La Liga. 'He has no ceiling,' Raphinha said of his teammate. 'He can go as far as he wants. It all depends on him. He has quality, commitment and works hard.' No one wants to play against the prodigy who has a knack for cutting in from the right and finding the top corner, leaving a trail of shellshocked defenders in his wake. Currently listed at 50/1 by some bookmakers, Mbappé retains plenty of admirers. The Frenchman came sixth at the ceremony last year and none of those who finished above him are in contention this time. Admittedly, his first year at Real Madrid can be classed as forgettable. Mbappé won the Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup but losing out to Barcelona in La Liga and being brushed aside by Arsenal in the Champions League does not do much for egos in the Spanish capital. The goals flew in for Mbappé, with the 26-year-old scoring 31 times in 34 league appearances, but when it mattered in Europe, he did not produce what was required.
BBC News
13-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Liberia anti-corruption: President Boakai suspends top officials for non-declaration of assets
Liberian President Joseph Boakai has suspended more than 450 top government officials, including ministers, for failing to declare their assets to the anti-corruption will be off work without pay for a month or "until they submit the required declarations", according to the said that the officials had contravened the code of conduct for state officials by not being transparent about what they president, who had pledged to fight corruption when he came into office last year, said failure to comply undermined efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability. Among those suspended include the ministers for education and health, as well as the special envoys for tourism and also include officials working for the Executive Mansion, the official residence of the president, and county administrative law requires all public officers to declare their wealth before taking up their posts and when they leave positions in Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) published the list of all the 457 affected public officials, noting it was doing so as prescribed by who pledged to fight corruption when he came into office last year, said failure to comply undermined efforts to combat corruption and ensure is Liberian President Joseph Boakai?"Public officials are reminded that asset declaration is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental measure to promote transparency and restore public trust in governmental institution," he said in a July, the president announced that he was reducing his salary by 40%, saying he hoped to set a precedent for "responsible governance" and demonstrate "solidarity" with government of his predecessor, George Weah, had faced accusations of corruption and lavish spending, sparking mass protests amid a rise in the cost of Wednesday, some of the suspended officials visited the anti-corruption commission offices in order to comply with the has been mixed reaction over the president's move. Political analyst Abdullah Kiatamba was quoted by Liberian newspaper FrontPage Africa as being supportive of the president's anti-corruption stance, but raised concerns about the challenges some officials faced in submitting their asset society group Solidarity and Trust for a New Day described Boakai's move as insufficient."Suspending these officials for just one month is a meaningless, symbolic gesture - a slap on the wrist that no serious person should take seriously," it said in a statement. Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
