France Football introduces women's Ballon d'Or including two other new awards

For the first time since its creation in 1956, a women's football will receive this prestigious award.

With the next Golden Ball not far away, France Football will launch two new prizes for 2018. This new award will reward the best player in the world of football.

Since the French magazine won its prestigious award in 1956, only the most talented names in men's football have been honored. France Football has revealed that this will change this year.

Chief editor Pascal Ferre said the growing popularity of women's football has made the addition of the prize a matter of routine. He told the Associated Press (according to Sky Sports):

"Women's football is a thriving discipline that deserves the same respect as men's football and is maturing and growing.

"More than 760 million viewers watched the games of the last Women's World Cup in 2015. That was not the case."

First, the 8 best players of 2018 will be pre-selected on October 8. After that, "40 journalists from countries where women's football is growing" will choose the first winner of the Golden Ball to be crowned on December 3 at an event in Paris.

Carli Lloyd and Lieke Martens are two female stars who have been named the best player of the year for the best FIFA awards. The Brazilian icon and aspiring Orlando Pirates Marta is nominated for the FIFA award and is probably the best candidate for the Women's Golden Ball.

Lyon stars Dzsenifer Marozsan and Ada Hegerberg are two favorites for the national title after taking their French club to their third successive UEFA Champions League victory. Among them, the latter played a decisive role, scoring 15 goals on the way to the title while finishing the season as top scorer.

The other category that France Football has announced will honor the best young player of the year. This new award, which will be called Raymond Kopa, will be awarded to the best footballer of the year.

Ten young talents will be shortlisted before a group of former winners of the Ballon d'Or chooses a winner. Kylian Mbappe would be right to win this individual prize after winning the national hat-trick in France and the 2018 World Cup, an exceptional year for the 19-year-old.