The much-anticipated Ballon d'Or nominations for 2024 have been unveiled, with a host of international stars vying for football's most prestigious individual award.
This year, a notable African talent has earned his place among the elite. Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman, is the sole representative from the continent, showcasing the continent's growing influence on the global stage.
A pair of Real Madrid sensations, Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham, have also secured their spots on the illustrious shortlist. However, a significant milestone has been reached as neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi, the dominating figures of the past decade, have made the cut.
The last time both football icons were absent from the Ballon d'Or nominations was in 2003, when the award was bestowed upon Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved.
The full list of nominees includes:
Antonio Rudiger – Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid
Lautaro Martinez – Inter
Ademola Lookman – Atalanta
Alejandro Grimaldo – Bayer Leverkusen
Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid
William Saliba – Arsenal
Lamine Yamal – Barcelona
Bukayo Saka – Arsenal
Hakan Calhanoglu – Inter
Rodri – Man City
Declan Rice- Arsenal
Harry Kane – Bayern Munich
Cole Palmer – Chelsea
Vitinha – PSG
Vinicius Jr – Real Madrid
Martin Odegaard – Arsenal
Dani Olmo – Barcelona
Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen
Mats Hummels – Roma
Erling Haaland – Man City
Nicolas Williams – Athletic Bilbao
Granit Xhaka – Bayer Leverkusen
Artem Dovbik – Roma
Toni Kroos – Real Madrid
Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid
Phil Foden – Man City
Ruben Dias – Man City
Federico Valverde – Real Madrid
Emiliano Martinez – Aston VIlla
The Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place on October 28th in Paris, where the ultimate winner will be crowned.
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