Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were not among them. For the first time since 2003, neither Ronaldo nor Messi were selected. Portugal's five-time champion, Ronaldo, was not included in the nominees for the previous year either. Messi, on the other hand, has eight Ballon d'Or victories, breaking the record.
Thirty finalists for the men's and women's Ballon d'Or categories were unveiled. The ceremony is scheduled for October 28 at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris. Nominations for a number of other accolades were also made public, in addition to the male and female Ballon d'Or candidates.
Favourites Jude Bellingham, Rodri, and Vinicius were among the 30 men, while rising star Lamine Yamal of Spain, who was one of the ten contenders for the Kopa Trophy (young player award), was also included, along with a number of his other fellow European champions.
Bellingham and Brazil's Vinicius Junior are among Real Madrid's seven candidates for the coveted Ballon d'Or prize, which also includes Kylian Mbappe, the team's most recent acquisition from PSG. Six players from England, who placed second behind Spain in the Euro 2024 competition, have been nominated overall. Bellingham is not on the list; other players on it are Harry Kane, a prolific striker, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice, two midfielders.
Ballon d'Or 2024 Nominees - Men's Nominations List
- Jude Bellingham (England/Real Madrid)
- Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey/Inter Milan)
- Dani Carvajal (Spain/Real Madrid)
- Ruben Dias (Portugal/Manchester City)
- Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine/Girona)
- Phil Foden (England/Manchester City)
- Alex Grimaldo (Spain/Bayer Leverkusen)
- Erling Haaland (Norway/Manchester City)
- Mats Hummels (Germany/Borussia Dortmund)
- Harry Kane (England/Bayern Munich)
- Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)
- Ademola Lookman (Nigeria/Atalanta)
- Emiliano Martinez (Argentina/Aston Villa)
- Lautaro Martinez (Argentina/Inter Milan)
- Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Martin Odegaard (Norway/Arsenal)
- Dani Olmo (Spain/RB Leipzig)
- Cole Palmer (England/Chelsea)
- Declan Rice (England/Arsenal)
- Rodri (Spain/Manchester City)
- Antonio Rudiger (Germany/Real Madrid)
- Bukayo Saka (England/Arsenal)
- William Saliba (France/Arsenal)
- Federico Valverde (Uruguay/Real Madrid)
- Vinicius Junior (Brazil/Real Madrid)
- Vitinha (Portugal/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Nico Williams (Spain/Athletic Bilbao)
- Florian Wirtz (Germany/Bayer Leverkusen)
- Granit Xhaka (Switzerland/Bayer Leverkusen)
- Lamine Yamal (Spain/Barcelona)
In the women's category, reigning Champions League winners Barcelona dominate with six nominees. Aitana Bonmati, the winner from the previous year, and Alexia Putellas, the recipient twice, are among them, demonstrating the club's remarkable skill in women's football.
Ballon d'Or 2024 Nominees - Women's Nominations List
- Barba Banda (Zambia/Orlando Pride )
- Aitana Bonmati (Spain/Barcelona)
- Lucy Bronze (England/Barcelona)
- Mariona Caldentey (Spain/Barcelona)
- Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi/Lyon)
- Grace Geyoro (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Manuela Giugliano (Italy/Roma)
- Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway/Barcelona)
- Patricia Guijarro (Spain/Barcelona)
- Giulia Gwinn (Germany/Bayern Munich)
- Yui Hasegawa (Japan/Manchester City)
- Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon)
- Lauren Hemp (England/Manchester City)
- Lindsey Horan (United States/Lyon)
- Lauren James (England/Chelsea)
- Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Alyssa Naeher (United States /Chicago Red Stars)
- Sjoeke Nusken (Germany/Chelsea)
- Ewa Pajor (Poland/Barcelona)
- Salma Paralluelo (Spain/Barcelona)
- Gabi Portilho (Brazil/Corinthians)
- Alexia Putellas (Spain/Barcelona)
- Mayra Ramirez (Colombia/Chelsea)
- Trinity Rodman (United States/Washington Spirit)
- Lea Schuller (Germany/Bayern Munich)
- Khadija Shaw (Jamaica/Manchester City)
- Sophia Smith (United States/Portland Thorns)
- Mallory Swanson (United States/Chicago Red Stars)
- Tarciane (Brazil/Houston Dash)
- Glodis Viggosdottir (Iceland/Bayern Munich)
