Hankook to sponsor the "Golden Ball"

In 2024, the Korean tire company Hankook will be the sponsor of the "Ballon d'Or", the most prestigious award in world football, which will be presented to athletes for the 68th time on October 28 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in the heart of the French capital.

Under the terms of the partnership, Hankook will place its logos along the red carpet and in the press zones, and will jointly conduct digital events with UEFA, which are designed to help increase brand recognition and consumer loyalty among fans. Starting from 2024, the "Ballon d'Or" is awarded by UEFA in conjunction with Groupe Amaury, the owner of the media companies France Football and L'Équipe, and initially the award was created in 1956.

"The official sponsorship of the Ballon d'Or is a logical continuation of our long-term fruitful cooperation with UEFA," noted SangHun Lee, President and Chief Operating Officer of Hankook's European division, adding that "football remains the most popular sport in Europe, uniting millions of people, and we are proud to be a part of it".

Hankook's sponsorship strategy is focused on platforms with a wide reach in the world, European and national scale, such as Formula E, the European League and the Conference League, the Borussia Dortmund club, etc.

In addition to the best football players, the Ballon d'Or is awarded in seven more categories, and in 2024, the award will begin to be awarded to coaches in both men's and women's football, which "is a recognition of their valuable contribution to success on the field".

The Argentine Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or the most times, and the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo is in second place.