No Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi in Ballon D’Or Nominees for the First Time Since 2003

On Wednesday night, France Football released the list of 30 players who are nominated for the 2024 Ballon D’Or. However, for the first time in over two decades, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo were included on the list.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist is headlined by none other than Real Madrid and Brazil's rising superstar, Vinicius Junior. Many fans and pundits believe that this year’s Ballon d’Or is Vini’s to lose, thanks to his pivotal role in Real Madrid's record 15th Champions League triumph last season. Alongside Vini, six other Real Madrid players have made the prestigious list: Toni Kroos (who has since retired), Fede Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger, and Kylian Mbappe (split between PSG and Real Madrid). This impressive lineup makes Real Madrid the club with the most nominees this year. 

Hot on their heels are Manchester City and Arsenal, each boasting four players in the running. For City, the nominees are Rodri, Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, and Phil Foden, showcasing the depth of talent in Pep Guardiola’s squad. Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice are representing the Gunners on the list, reflecting their resurgence under Mikel Arteta.  

Following Spain’s dazzling Euro 2024 victory, it's no surprise to see a strong Spanish presence on the 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist. Alongside Rodri and Dani Carvajal, we have Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Alejandro Grimaldo. Grimaldo isn’t the only Leverkusen player in the mix—his teammates Granit Xhaka and Florian Wirtz also made the cut.  

Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez, fresh off another stellar year, secures his place on the list for the second consecutive year, cementing his status among the world’s top goalkeepers. Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, who shone brightly in the Europa League, earns his first-ever Ballon d’Or nomination. The England contingent is also strong, with Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Phil Foden, and Bukayo Saka all flying the flag for the Three Lions. 

The winners of the 2024 Ballon D’Or will be announced on 28th October. The era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s dominance is finally taking a break. Messi, with his 8 wins, and Ronaldo, with 5, are not on the shortlist this time. Past winners like Luka Modric in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022 also haven’t made the shortlist, which makes the race wide open and more thrilling than ever. It's anyone's game, and we’ll soon find out who will take home the coveted trophy in Paris! 

Complete List of 30 Ballon D’Or Nominees 

• Jude Bellingham 
• Hakan Calhanoglou 
• Kylian Mbappe 
• Erling Haaland 
• Lamine Yamal 
• Dani Carvajal 
• Ruben Dias 
• Artem Dobvyk 
• Phil Foden 
• Alejandro Grimaldo 
• Mats Hummels 
• Harry Kane 
• Toni Kroos 
• Ademola Lookman 
• Emiliano Martinez 
• Lautaro Martinez 
• Martin Odegaard 
• Dani Olmo 
• Cole Palmer 
• Declan Rice 
• Rodri 
• Antonio Rudiger 
• Bukayo Saka 
• William Saliba 
• Federico Valverde 
• Vinicius Jr. 
• Vitinha 
• Nico Williams 
• Florian Wirtz 
• Granit Xhaka 

Also Read: Transfer News: AS Roma Close to Signing German Defender Mats Hummels