Messi and Ronaldo Miss Out on Ballon d’Or Nominees List for the First Time in 20 Years
It’s the end of an era! The unthinkable has happened – neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo has made it to the 2024 Ballon d’Or nominees list. This is the first time since 2003 that both superstars have missed out on the prestigious award.
The Portuguese maestro, Cristiano Ronaldo, had been a constant fixture on the list since 2004, while Messi has been a part of it since 2006. Their dominance in the football world has been unmatched, with Messi holding a record 8 Ballon d’Or titles and Ronaldo with 5 to his name.
The Saudi Pro League’s Al-Nassr star, Ronaldo, had an impressive 54-goal haul for club and country last season, placing him among the top scorers. He remains the last Premier League player to win the Ballon d’Or, having claimed the award in 2008 while playing for Manchester United.
So, who made the cut? The list of 30 nominees includes some big names, with Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Toni Kroos, and Vinicius Jr. being the standouts. Erling Haaland, who finished as the Premier League top scorer last season, is also in the mix.
Here’s the full list of nominees:
- Jude Bellingham
- Ruben Dias
- Phil Foden
- Federico Valverde
- Emiliano Martinez
- Nico Williams
- Erling Haaland
- Toni Kroos
- Granit Xhaka
- Artem Dovbik
- Dani Olmo
- Vinicius Jr
- Martin Odegaard
- Mats Hummels
- Florian Wirtz
- Harry Kane
- Rodri
- Declan Rice
- Vitinha
- Cole Palmer
- Lamine Yamal
- Dani Carvajal
- Bukayo Saka
- Hakan Calhanoglu
- William Saliba
- Kylian Mbappe
- Lautaro Martinez
- Ademola Lookman
- Antonio Rudiger
- Alejandro Grimaldo
The winner of the men’s Ballon d’Or will be announced on October 28.
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