The shortlist for the world’s most prestigious individual football award has been unveiled ahead of the ceremony set to take place in Paris on October 28.
A total of 30 players are in contention to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or, which recognizes the top male player from the past season.
The Ballon d’Or, coveted by every footballer, remains the pinnacle of individual achievement in the sport.
Following a thrilling 2023-24 season, the nominees for this year’s Golden Ball have been revealed, sparking excitement and anticipation across the footballing world.
The competition in 2024 is fierce, with several top names in the running to succeed Lionel Messi, who claimed his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023.
The selection process took into account not just club performances, but also contributions to major international tournaments over the last 12 months.
Among the frontrunners are Real Madrid’s dynamic duo, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior. Both players had standout seasons, helping Real Madrid to secure both the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League.
Bellingham netted 23 goals, while Vinicius scored 24, solidifying their positions as key players for their club. However, their international ambitions fell short, with Bellingham’s England losing the Euro 2024 final and Vinicius’ Brazil underperforming in the Copa America.
Other strong contenders include Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Nico Williams, and Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, all of whom are expected to finish highly in the final rankings.
Surprisingly, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo made the shortlist this year.
Despite Messi’s triumph with Argentina in the Copa America, the 37-year-old was not nominated, marking a historic moment in football.
Similarly, Ronaldo, who was already absent from the 2023 shortlist, continues his exclusion, ending a remarkable 21-year streak where at least one of these legends was in the running for the Ballon d’Or.
Here is the full list of nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or:
Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid/England
Ruben Dias – Manchester City/Portugal
Phil Foden – Manchester City/England
Federico Valverde – Real Madrid/Uruguay
Emiliano Martinez – Aston Villa/Argentina
Erling Haaland – Manchester City/Norway
-Nico Williams – Athletic Club/Spain
-Granit Xhaka – Bayer Leverkusen/Switzerland
Artem Dovbyk – Girona/Roma/Ukraine
Toni Kroos – Real Madrid/Germany
Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid/Brazil
Dani Olmo – RB Leipzig/Barcelona/Spain
Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen/Germany
Martin Odegaard – Arsenal/Norway
Mats Hummels – Borussia Dortmund/Roma/Germany
Rodri – Manchester City/Spain
Harry Kane – Bayern Munich/England
Declan Rice – Arsenal/England
Vitinha – PSG/Portugal
Cole Palmer – Chelsea/England
Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid/Spain
Lamine Yamal – Barcelona/Spain
Bukayo Saka – Arsenal/England
Hakan Calhanoglu – Inter/Turkey
William Saliba – Arsenal/France
Kylian Mbappe – PSG/Real Madrid/France
Lautaro Martinez – Inter/Argentina
Ademola Lookman – Atalanta/Nigeria
Antonio Rudiger – Real Madrid/Germany
Alejandro Grimaldo – Bayer Leverkusen/Spain
The Ballon d’Or winner will be revealed at the annual ceremony on October 28, held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
The event promises to be a memorable night as the world watches to see who will be crowned the best male footballer of the year.
