Manchester United Humiliated By Manchester City, Deny Lift To Alejandro Garnacho & Kobbie Mainoo In Private Jet For Ballon d'Or Ceremony

Manchester United has been doing some cost-cutting since the Jim Ratcliffe-owned INEOS group acquired a 25 per cent stake in the club in February. Legendary former manager Alex Ferguson is set to be sidelined from the role of club ambassador at the end of the season, while 250 staffers have already been released. Keeping aside the cost-cutting spree, the 20-time English champions recently found themselves in an embarrassing situation off the field.

The red devils reportedly asking Manchester City to offer their players a lift for the Ballon d’Or ceremony that takes place in Paris on Tuesday. According to Daily Mail, United asked City if Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo could fly with their Ballon d’Or-bound players in their private jet. However, defending Premier League champions City turned down their request stating that there was no room on board.

Garnacho and Mainoo have been nominated for the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best player under the age of 21 in the previous season. City, on the other hand, have eight players nominated for the upcoming awards which include Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, Rodri, Phil Foden and Ruben Dias.

What is a Ballon d’Or

The Ballon d’Or was created by France Football magazine and has been awarded since 1956. It is considered one of the most prestigious individual awards in the world of football.  It is voted for by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings. The awards honour the year's best players, coaches and clubs in recognition of their outstanding achievements.

Each journalist, one per country, selects 10 players in ranked order, with points attributed to each position. The winner is the player who receives the most points. The Ballon d'Or has a rich and storied history, and remains one of the most highly coveted individual awards in the world of football.