Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo Both Miss Ballon d’Or Shortlist

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo Both Miss Ballon d’Or Shortlist

For the first time since 2003, both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were not nominated for the Ballon d’Or award, missing out on the 30-player shortlist that was released on Wednesday.

🚨 OFFICIAL: Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi, out of the Ballon d’Or nominees for the first time since 2003. pic.twitter.com/ROmuQ3Wa5j

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 4, 2024

Messi won the award last season and has won a record total of eight Ballon d’Or’s throughout his career. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has five Ballon d’Or’s to his name. The last time he won the award was in 2017.

The Ballon d’Or is an annual award given out by the French Magazine French Football to the best male and female soccer player in the world the previous season. The award is considered to be the most prestigious individual award available in soccer.

This year’s shortlist, although missing both Messi and Ronaldo, is filled with elite players who all have a legitimate claim when this year’s Ballon d’Or winner is announced on Oct. 28. Real Madrid trio Vinicius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé highlight the list of names, along with Rodri, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.

On the female side, five USWNT stars are in contention for the award, including Lindsey Horan, Alyssa Naeher, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson.

The full list of names nominated for the 2024 Male and Female Ballon d’Or can be found below.

Male Nominees:

Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Türkiye, Inter)
Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid)
Rúben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)
Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
Alejandro 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 Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter )
Kylian Mbappé (France, Paris Saint-Germain / Real Madrid)
Martin Ødegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig / Barcelona)
Cole Palmer (England, Manchester City / Chelsea)
Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
Antonio Rüdiger (Germany, Real Madrid)
Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)
Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Club)
Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)
Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

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Female Nominees:

Barbra Banda (Zambia, Shanghai RCB / Orlando Pride)
Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)
Lucy Bronze (England, Barcelona / Chelsea)
Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Barcelona / Arsenal)
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi, Paris Saint-Germain / Olympique Lyonnais) Grace Geyoro (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Manuela Giugliano (Italy, AS Roma)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)
Patricia Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)
Giulia Gwinn (Germany, Bayern München)
Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Manchester City)
Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Olympique Lyonnais)
Lauren Hemp (England, Manchester City)
Lindsey Horan (USA, Olympique Lyonnais)
Lauren James (England, Chelsea)
Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Alyssa Naeher (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
Sjoeke Nüsken (Germany, Chelsea)
Ewa Pajor (Poland, VfL Wolfsburg / Barcelona)
Salma Paralluelo (Spain, Barcelona)
Gabi Portilho (Brazil, Corinthians)
Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)
Mayra Ramírez (Colombia, Levante / Chelsea)
Trinity Rodman (USA, Washington Spirit)
Lea Schüller (Germany, Bayern München)
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City)
Sophia Smith (USA, Portland Thorns)
Mallory Swanson (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
Tarciane (Brazil, Corinthians / Houston Dash)
Glódís Viggósdóttir (Iceland, Bayern München)

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