Football
Manchester City Deny Manchester United’s Request To Give Mainoo and Garnacho A Lift To Ballon d’Or Ceremony
Cai is a news and features writer that specialises in football, but has experience covering a variety of other sports, including darts, basketball, American football, MMA, boxing and more. He holds a degree in Football Journalism (BA Hons) from the University of Derby, and worked with Nottingham Forest FC and Burton Albion FC throughout his studies. Cai also has experience working in social media with the Football Association of Wales, where he worked on a freelance basis, and has also been an accredited writer in the JD Cymru Premier for both Y Clwb Pêl-Droed and welshfootie since the 2019/20 season.
Get to know Cai Parry betterPublished26 Oct 2024
Manchester United reportedly asked rivals Manchester City if Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho could get a lift with their delegation to the Ballon d’Or ceremony next week, only to have their request denied.
City Deny United’s Ballon d’Or Lift Request For Mainoo & Garnacho
The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on Monday, and Manchester United have bizarrely asked Manchester City if Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho can get a lift to the event with their nominees.
This comes from the Daily Mail, who report that the Cityzens have informed their arch-rivals that there is no room for the talented duo aboard their private jet.
EXCLUSIVE
🔴Manchester United asked City if Kobbie Mainoo & Alejandro Garnacho could join their flight to Paris for Ballon d'Or
🔵City politely declined the request as the flight was full with their eight nominees
✒️https://t.co/pCMuuyHGkO— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) October 26, 2024
United’s request comes amid a series of cost-cutting measures put in place by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group, who arrived at the club earlier this year, but unfortunately for them, it looks as though they’ll have to make other arrangements.
It is claimed that the Red Devils are wary of their carbon footprint, which makes sense as to why they believe that chartering a private jet for just two players wouldn’t be a good look for the club.
Mainoo and Garnacho travel to the French capital in hopes of lifting the Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the world’s best under-21 player for the 2023/24 season.
Also among the 10 nominees for the award is Man City‘s Savinho, along with the likes of PSG’s Joao Neves and Warren Zaire-Emery, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, and Real Madrid’s Arda Guler.
The remainder of City’s nominees are made up of Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland, Rodri and Phil Foden, who have been nominated for the men’s Ballon d’Or award, and Yui Hasegawa, Lauren Hemp and Khadija Shaw, who are up for the women’s Ballon d’Or award. Pep Guardiola is also in the running for Men’s Coach of the Year.
Unfortunately for City’s Ballon d’Or nominees in the men’s section, it looks as though they’ll be leaving empty-handed, as it is being reported that Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior will claim the main prize after his impressive contributions in winning the Champions League and La Liga last term.