By The organizers of the Ballon d’Or, football’s most prestigious individual award, revealed the list of nominees on Wednesday, notably excluding eight-time winner Lionel Messi while featuring a strong contingent of Spanish and English stars.
Messi, 37, who claimed his record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or last year after leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, is absent from the 30-player shortlist. The former Barcelona star, now playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, was also omitted in 2022 when Karim Benzema won the award. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal was also excluded from the list. He had won it five time.
The nomination list highlights several key trends:
Real Madrid Dominance: Six members of Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League-winning team are nominated, including Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, considered among the favorites. Other Madrid nominees are Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, Antonio Rudiger, and Fede Valverde.
Spanish National Team Recognition: Following their Euro 2024 victory, several Spanish national team players made the list, including Carvajal, Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri, Nico Williams, and Lamine Yamal.
English Talent: Six England internationals feature among the nominees, reflecting the strength of English football on both domestic and international stages.
Notable Inclusions: Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane are among the high-profile nominees.
Significant Omissions: Alongside Messi, five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, now 39, is also absent from the list.
The Ballon d’Or is voted for by a jury of journalists from the top 100 countries in FIFA’s world ranking.
In the coaching category, Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga season, is considered a favorite. He faces competition from Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Spain’s Luis de la Fuente, among others.
For the women’s Ballon d’Or, Barcelona and Spain’s Aitana Bonmati is hoping to retain her title. Former winners Ada Hegerberg and Alexia Putellas are also nominated, along with five members of the United States’ Olympic gold medal-winning team: Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, Lindsey Horan, and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in Paris on October 28th.
This year’s nominations reflect the evolving landscape of world football, with younger talents and team achievements gaining prominence in the absence of long-standing individual dominance.
