The Socrates Award will be handed out alongside the Ballon d'Or in October
Vinicius Jr is the holder of the Socrates Award(Image credit: FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
What's the Socrates Award for, then? You'll be wondering soon enough, with football's equivalent of the Oscars fast approaching.
The ceremony is set to take place on October 28, and the favourites are are all already established. The headline award will see the world's best player crowned and after the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were omitted from last week's shortlist, we will have a first-time winner.
But it's not just the Ballon d'Or that will be handed out, as a new name joins the pantheon of former football greats to lift the prize. A host of other trophies will be awarded to recognise individual positions and achievements, with one of these, the Socrates Award: so FourFourTwo takes a closer look at the honour…
VIDEO Why Lee Carsley Might Fix England
What is the Socrates Award?
Socrates gives his name to the gong (Image credit: Getty Images)
The Socrates Award is awarded to a footballer who has achieved a social initiative, perhaps through charity or campaigning.
This is one of the newest additions to the Ballon d'Or ceremony and was first awarded in 2022. The prize is named after Brazilian legend Socrates, who died in 2011 at the age of 57, and was a tireless humanitarian campaigner, who opposed the former military dictatorship in Brazil during the 1980s.
France Football present the trophy, which is award to 'the best social initiative by committed champions' such as the promotion of social integration, protection of the environment or aiding disadvantaged groups or victims of conflict.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Vinicius Junior of Brazil and Real Madrid (Image credit: Getty)
There are no nominations for the Socrates Award, with the winner announced on the evening of October 28 at the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane was the first winner of the award in 2022 in recognition of his chartiy work in his native Senegal, where he has built a public hospital and funded schools. Last year the prize was award to Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior for his work with his Instituto Vini Jr, which aims to combat social inequality in his country and for his work fighting against racism.
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
