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Nigerian and Atalanta striker, Ademola Lookman was named Wednesday night in the 30-man 2024 Ballon d’Or Shortlist, as Messi, Ronaldo are dropped.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist was announced on Wednesday without two of football’s biggest names, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. For the first time since 2003, both legends failed to make the list of 30 nominees for the prestigious award.
Real Madrid’s rising stars Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, along with Manchester City midfielder Rodri, are considered the leading contenders for the award. Joining them are other prominent figures in football, including Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé, but the absence of Messi and Ronaldo marks a significant shift in the football landscape.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, and Ronaldo, a five-time recipient, have dominated the football world for over two decades. Their omission signals the end of an era, with fans on social media calling it a “changing of the guard” as a new generation of stars takes center stage.
The 2023-24 season was the first time in over 20 years that neither Messi nor Ronaldo played in Europe. Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabia in early 2023, while Messi joined Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami in June. Both players, however, enjoyed success in their respective leagues, with Ronaldo netting 50 goals in Saudi Arabia and Messi leading Inter Miami to their first-ever trophy in the Leagues Cup.
As the football world prepares for the next chapter, this year’s Ballon d’Or shortlist reflects a new era, with younger talents poised to carry the torch forward.
Ballon d’Or nominees
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 Bilbao)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland and Bayer Leverkusen)
Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine and Roma)
Toni Kroos (former Germany and Real Madrid)
Vinicius Jr (Brazil and Real Madrid)
Dani Olmo (Spain and Barcelona)
Florian Wirtz (Germany and Bayer Leverkusen)
Martin Odegaard (Norway and Arsenal)
Mats Hummels (Germany, free agent)
Rodri (Spain and Manchester City)
Harry Kane (England and Bayern Munich)
Declan Rice (England and Arsenal)
Vitinha (Portugal and Paris St-Germain)
Cole Palmer (England and Chelsea)
Dani Carvajal (Spain and Real Madrid)
Lamine Yamal (Spain and Barcelona)
Bukayo Saka (England and Arsenal)
Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey and Inter Milan)
William Saliba (France and Arsenal)
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)
Oscar
