It has become certain that Argentine star Lionel Messi will not win his ninth Ballon d'Or, as he was absent from the list of 30 nominees for the Best Player in the World for 2024, revealed by the French magazine "France Football" on Wednesday. The list was dominated by Spain’s national team, which won the European Championship this summer, and Real Madrid, which claimed the Champions League title.
This is the second time since 2005 that the 37-year-old Messi, who won last year's Ballon d'Or for the eighth time, has missed out on the race for the most prestigious individual prize in football.
The award is determined by a vote of a jury of journalists representing the top 100 countries in FIFA's rankings.
Messi, the former Barcelona legend and winner of the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, who is currently playing in the American league with Inter Miami, also missed out on the list in 2022, when the award went to Frenchman Karim Benzema.
Despite Messi's absence, his season with the "Albiceleste" national team was not disappointing, as he led them to retain the Copa América title this year, after winning it in 2021. However, his impact was less pronounced this time, as he had to leave the final match after 66 minutes due to an ankle injury, which Argentina won 1-0 over Colombia after extra time.
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 39, who left Europe to join Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr in 2023, also missed the list for the second consecutive year. This marks the first time in 21 years, since 2003, that both Ronaldo and Messi are absent from the ceremony.
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Brazilian Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid's forward, is among the top contenders for his first Ballon d'Or, after leading the Spanish club to its 15th Champions League title. The ceremony will take place in Paris on October 28.
Vinícius faces tough competition from several Real Madrid teammates, including Englishman Jude Bellingham, Uruguayan Federico Valverde, retired German Toni Kroos, and fellow Brazilian Antonio Rüdiger. Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappé, who joined Real Madrid this summer, is also in the race.
Norwegian forward Erling Haaland, who led Manchester City to their fourth consecutive Premier League title, is another strong contender.
The list also includes English striker Harry Kane, despite his loss in the European Championship final to Spain (1-2), alongside many European champions like Dani Carvajal, Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri, Nico Williams, and Lamine Yamal.
On the coaches' list, Xabi Alonso stands out after leading Bayer Leverkusen to the German league title without a single loss—a unique achievement. Italian Carlo Ancelotti, the mastermind behind Real Madrid's league and Champions League double, and Spain's national team coach Luis de la Fuente are also among the nominees.
Other notable nominees include Italian Gian Piero Gasperini, who led Atalanta to victory in the Europa League, handing Leverkusen their only defeat across all competitions last season, along with Pep Guardiola and Argentina's Lionel Scaloni.
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