Last night, the nominations for this year’s Ballon d’Or were announced, sparking great interest and anticipation. The upcoming winner is eagerly awaited, with several players in the running for the prestigious award. However, the bigger news is the absence of the two football giants who have dominated the trophy for the past two decades – Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. This marks the first time since 2003 that neither player has been nominated, signaling the start of a new era in football as fans worldwide look to see who will emerge as their successors.
They're all here!
But… who should win it? #ballondor pic.twitter.com/SrkHBrJtuI
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 4, 2024
A total of 30 names have been announced for the Ballon d’Or, with top contenders including Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Lautaro Martinez, and Lamine Yamal. However, there are other strong candidates as well, making this year’s competition particularly open and exciting.
The nominations for the “Best Coach” award, part of the Ballon d’Or ceremony organized by France Football, have also been revealed. Among the six nominees, the Spanish dominance is evident. Spain’s national team manager Luis de la Fuente, Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola are all among the contenders. The list is rounded out by two Italians – Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Atalanta’s Gian Piero Gasperini – as well as Argentina’s national team manager Lionel Scaloni.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on October 28th in Paris, where the football world will witness who will be crowned the best of the best in this new chapter of the sport.