Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi Left Out of Ballon d’Or Nominees for the First Time Since 2003
The 2024 men’s Ballon d’Or nominees were announced on Wednesday, September 4, and for the first time in over two decades, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo made the list.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, claimed his most recent title in 2022, while Ronaldo has won the prestigious award five times. Their absence marks the end of an era, as both players dominated the award between 2008 and 2018, until Luka Modric broke their streak in 2019.
With both legends now playing outside of Europe—Messi at Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and Ronaldo at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia—the Ballon d’Or is set to crown a new champion, signaling the close of a historic chapter in football.
The award ceremony will take place on October 28 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.