2024 BALLON D'OR
Who won the Ballon d’Or the last time Messi and Cristiano weren’t nominated?
Messi and Cristiano are not among the 30 nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or and the last time they were both absent was in 2003.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are very much in the twilight of their respective careers and with the Portuguese playing with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia and Messi at MLS outfit Inter Miami, the duo are ready to step aside and open the door for the future heirs to the throne.
For the first time since 2003, neither player has been shortlisted among the 30 nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or and in that particular year, the Men’s Player of the Season award was picked up by Czech Republic star Pavel Nedvêd who was playing with Serie A side Juventus at the time.
In 2004, Cristiano made his first appearance on the thirty best in the world with Messi entering the fray in 2006. Since then, both players have always been involved in the tussle for the award and both players have monopolized thirteen of the last fifteen awards - eight for the former FC Barcelona player and five for the former Real Madrid player.
Mbappé, Vinicius, Bellingham...
With both Messi and Cristiano now well in their 30s a new generation of exciting young talents have emerged with Vinicius, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland the main candidates in line to pick up the historic legacy.
As things stand, there is no clear out-and-out favourite to scoop the 2024 prize with Vinicius, Rodri and Bellingham cited as leading favourites with the 2024 Ballon d’Or the first great example of generational change at the top table of football’s elite.