The Ballon d’Or 2024 list did not feature Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi for the first time in over two decades as the nominees list for the award was announced on Wednesday.
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, on the other hand, were the highlights of the list alongside England prodigy Jude Bellingham while Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, two young stars of Spain’s victorious 2024 European Championship were also included in the list.
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Messi and Ronaldo are the two most successful winners of the award, with the former winning it a record eight times while the latter has won it five times.
Full list of nominees for Ballon d’Or 2024:
- Jude Bellingham (England/Real Madrid)
- Hakan Calhanoglou (Turkey/Inter Milan)
- Kylian Mbappe (France/PSG & Real Madrid)
- Erling Haaland (Norway/Manchester City)
- Lamine Yamal (Spain/Barcelona)
- Dani Carvajal (Spain/Real Madrid)
- Ruben Dias (Portugal/Manchester City)
- Artem Dobvyk (Ukraine/Girona & AS Roma)
- Phil Foden (England/Manchester City)
- Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain/Bayer Leverkusen)
- Mats Hummels (Germany/Borussia Dortmund/AS Roma)
- Harry Kane (England/Bayern Munich)
- Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)
- Ademola Lookman (Nigeria/Atalanta)
- Emiliano Martinez (Argentina/Aston Villa)
- Lautaro Martinez (Argentina/Inter Milan)
- Martin Odegaard (Norway/Arsenal)
- Dani Olmo (Spain/RB Leipzig & Barcelona)
- Cole Palmer (England/Chelsea)
- Declan Rice (England/Arsenal)
- Rodri (Spain/Manchester City)
- Antonio Rudiger (Germany/Real Madrid)
- Bukayo Saka (England/Arsenal)
- William Saliba (France/Arsenal)
- Federico Valverde (Uruguay/Real Madrid)
- Vinicius Jr. (Brazil/Real Madrid)
- Vitinha (Portugal/PSG)
- Nico Williams (Spain/Athletic Bilbao)
- Florian Wirtz (Germany/Bayer Leverkusen)
- Granit Xhaka (Switzerland/Bayer Leverkusen)
ALSO READ | What happened in 2003 -- the last time neither Messi nor Ronaldo was nominated for Ballon d’Or
Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 — the start of a four-year streak of taking the top prize.
He was first nominated in 2006.
Messi and Ronaldo turned the competition into a near-two-way contest during the peak of their careers — winning it a combined 13 times from 2008.
Ronaldo’s first nomination was 2004.
Their omission from the list of nominations is likely due to leaving top-flight European club soccer, with Ronaldo having moved to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
A new generation of talent has emerged in the form of Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, Bellingham and Haaland. Emerging teenage star Lamine Yamal of Spain was also nominated.
While City striker Haaland was runner-up to Messi last year, the favorites to be crowned Ballon d’Or winner this time around include Real Madrid pair Vinicius Junior and Bellingham, as well as City and Spain midfielder Rodri.
Messi was also left off the list in 2022, but powered back to inspire Argentina to the World Cup title later that year and won his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023.
However, at the latter end of his career and now playing in MLS, he may find it harder to hold off the challenge of his younger rivals for the title of the game’s best.
It is also notable that he was omitted despite winning a major international honor with Argentina this year.
Aitana Bonmati, who won the women’s award last year is nominated again. U.S. stars Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Alyssa Naeher and Lindsey Horan were also on the 30-long list of contenders.
The awards are voted for by a jury of men’s and women’s soccer journalists.
Created by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or was first awarded to England great Stanley Matthews in 1956.
Legends of the game including Eusébio, Bobby Charlton, George Best, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane have all won it in the past.
With inputs from PTI
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