Football fans have been eagerly waiting, and the list of nominees for the Ballon d’Or 2024 is finally here. The prestigious award ceremony will happen at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28.
Award Criteria
The Ballon d’Or is awarded to the best player of the year based on their performance for both their club and national team over the past 12 months. Last year, Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or after leading Argentina to a World Cup victory in 2022 and claiming the Golden Ball in the tournament.
Top Contenders for 2024
Players like Vinicius Jr, Rodri, and Jude Bellingham are strong candidates for this year’s award, following incredible seasons with their clubs and countries.
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Full List of Nominees for Ballon d’Or 2024
| Player | Country and Club |
|---|---|
| Jude Bellingham | England and Real Madrid |
| Ruben Dias | Portugal and Manchester City |
| Phil Foden | England and Manchester City |
| Federico Valverde | Uruguay and Real Madrid |
| Emiliano Martinez | Argentina and Aston Villa |
| Erling Haaland | Norway and Manchester City |
| Nico Williams | Spain and Athletic Club |
| Granit Xhaka | Switzerland and Bayer Leverkusen |
| Artem Dovbyk | Ukraine and AS Roma |
| Toni Kroos | Retired |
| Vinicius Jr | Brazil and Real Madrid |
| Dani Olmo | Spain and FC Barcelona |
| Florian Wirtz | Germany and Bayer Leverkusen |
| Martin Odegaard | Norway and Arsenal FC |
| Mats Hummels | AS Roma |
| Rodri | Spain and Manchester City |
| Harry Kane | England and Bayern Munich |
| Declan Rice | England and Arsenal FC |
| Vitinha | Portugal and PSG |
| Cole Palmer | England and Chelsea FC |
| Dani Carvajal | Spain and Real Madrid |
| Lamine Yamal | Spain and FC Barcelona |
| Bukayo Saka | England and Arsenal FC |
| Hakan Calhanoglu | Turkey and Inter Milan |
| William Saliba | France and Arsenal FC |
| Kylian Mbappe | France and Real Madrid |
| Lautaro Martinez | Argentina and Inter Milan |
| Ademola Lookman | Nigeria and Atalanta |
| Antonio Rudiger | Germany and Real Madrid |
| Alejandro Grimaldo | Spain and Bayer Leverkusen |
End of an Era: No Messi or Ronaldo
For the first time since 2003, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo is included in the Ballon d’Or nominees. Despite Ronaldo breaking records for his Saudi club, Al Nassr, and Messi’s move to the MLS, their performances this year were not enough to make the shortlist. This marks the winding down of a historic era that began in 2008 when Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or.
The winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or will be revealed on October 28 in Paris. Other awards like the Kopa Trophy, Yashin Trophy, Muller Trophy, and Best Club will also be presented during the ceremony.
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