Ballon d’Or Snub: Is the Award Losing Its Luster?
The nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award have been announced, and it’s safe to say that the football world is buzzing with excitement. However, one notable absence from the list has raised some eyebrows – Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time winner of the prestigious award.
Ronaldo has been vocal about his frustrations with the award in the past, claiming that the Ballon d’Or and FIFA The Best awards are "losing credibility". His comments came after he was left out of the nominees despite scoring 54 goals in the calendar year, making him the top scorer in world football.
The Portuguese superstar has had a remarkable season with Al Nassr, scoring 44 goals in all competitions. His impressive form has led many to question why he wasn’t included in the shortlist. This is not the first time Ronaldo has been snubbed, as he also missed out on the nomination in 2023.
Ronaldo’s absence from the list is not the only surprise, as his arch-rival Lionel Messi has also been left out. This is the first time since 2003 that neither Messi nor Ronaldo has been included in the nominations.
The snub has sparked a debate about the relevance and credibility of the Ballon d’Or award. Is the award still the benchmark for excellence in football, or has it lost its luster?
Take a look at the 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist below:
- Antonio Rudiger – Real Madrid
- Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid
- Lautaro Martinez – Inter
- Ademola Lookman – Atalanta
- Alejandro Grimaldo – Bayer Leverkusen
- Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid
- William Saliba – Arsenal
- Lamine Yamal – Barcelona
- Bukayo Saka – Arsenal
- Hakan Calhanoglu – Inter
- Rodri – Man City
- Declan Rice – Arsenal
- Harry Kane – Bayern Munich
- Cole Palmer – Chelsea
- Vitinha – PSG
- Vinicius Jr – Real Madrid
- Martin Odegaard – Arsenal
- Dani Olmo – Barcelona
- Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen
- Mats Hummels – Roma
- Erling Haaland – Man City
- Nicolas Williams – Athletic Bilbao
- Granit Xhaka – Bayer Leverkusen
- Artem Dovbik – Roma
- Toni Kroos – Real Madrid
- Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid
- Phil Foden – Man City
- Ruben Dias – Man City
- Federico Valverde – Real Madrid
- Emiliano Martinez – Aston Villa
The question on everyone’s mind is, who will win the award? Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr is the current favourite, with Manchester City’s Rodri and Jude Bellingham also in the running.
What do you think about the snub? Do you still believe the Ballon d’Or is the pinnacle of individual achievement in football? Let us know in the comments!
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