Taylor Swift fans are helping Jude Bellingham to win Golden Boy award
In the past, fan-led voting on football matters meant you had to be worried about Arsenal supporters, but Taylor Swift fans have added a whole new dimension to proceedings.
It used to be the case that polls - on social media or otherwise - were like catnip to Gunners fans. Whether that meant voting for a goal of the season winner, or individual player awards, if they flexed their muscles then there was little hope for any other competitor.
Now, though, football fans are seeing the power of a fanbase whose reach goes far beyond any sporting fandom. Taylor Swift fans are getting involved in voting after the release of the Golden Boy nominations, and that's good news for Jude Bellingham and very bad news for Barcelona starlet Alejandro Balde.
The 2022 Golden Boy award went the way of Barcelona star Gavi, and there's a chance for the Catalan club to go back to back. Spain midfielder Gavi is in the mix again, as is his club and international team-mate Balde.
Bellingham is one of a number of English players in contention for the award, handed out to the best player aged 21 or under at a European team. Liverpool's Harvey Elliott is another to earn a nomination, along with Chelsea pair Lewis Hall and Levi Colwill.
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So, what does Taylor Swift have to do with all of this? Well, it turns out Balde is not a fan of her music, and that means her fans are not fans of him.
"Do I like Taylor Swift? No, I don't like her music'," Balde is alleged to have said in May.
The comments spread rapidly on social media, eventually making their way to the most active corner of Swiftie Twitter. When that kind of attention comes your way, there's no chance of being able to shake it off.
Will Jude Bellingham beat Alejandro Balde to the Golden Boy award? Have your say in the comments section
Alejandro Balde has suffered at the hands of Taylor Swift fans (David Ramirez/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)After August slipped away, a Real Madrid fan posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Hey Swifties we can’t let this Balde guy win the golden boy award. Vote for Jude Bellingham here". At the time of writing, the post has amassed more than 30,000 likes on the social media platform.
In the linked Tuttosport poll, Bellingham's share of the vote soared from around 30 per cent to close to 90 per cent. Balde later clawed back some votes, but the Englishman remains way out in front to cap off a cruel summer for the Barcelona man.
A selection of the voting patterns on Tuttosport's Golden Boy poll (Tuttosport)The great war between the LaLiga rivals is set to continue on the pitch, with Real Madrid and Barcelona battling it out for the title. Barca came out on top last season, with Balde's assists and defensive contributions making the whole place shimmer.
Bellingham's arrival has changed things, though, and his quality is something which Barcelona are all too well aware of. Carlo Ancelotti's side have won their first four games, with former Borussia Dortmund talent Bellingham scoring five times - most recently delivering a stoppage-time winner against Getafe.
Barcelona players have won the award on multiple occasions in the past, with Lionel Messi achieving the feat back in 2005. However, with Taylor Swift fans banging the drum for Bellingham, Balde may end up as the heartbreak prince this time around.
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