Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been excluded from the nominees for the Ballon d’Or award for the first time in 21 years. Jude Bellingham, a player from England, is among the 30 footballers nominated for the prestigious award. Ronaldo, who has won the award five times, did not receive a nomination last year either, while Messi missed out despite Argentina’s Copa America victory. Meanwhile, Spain, who won Euro 2024, have six players nominated, including young Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal. Real Madrid has a total of seven players nominated, with new signing Kylian Mbappe included.
Among Spain’s six nominees are players like Nico Williams, Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri, and Dani Carvajal. England, who were runners-up to Spain at Euro 2024, have a total of six nominees including Bellingham, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden. Rodri, who was named player of the tournament at the European Championship, believes that a Spanish player deserves to win the Ballon d’Or. Despite Spain’s success in recent years, no Spaniard has won the award since Luis Suarez in 1960, despite their achievements at the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 Euros.
Spain had a perfect European Championship, winning all seven games and scoring the most goals of any team in the tournament. Rodri expressed his hope that a Spaniard will win the Ballon d’Or, regardless of who it may be. The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 28 in Paris. In the women’s Ballon d’Or Feminin, Barcelona, the Champions League winners, have a total of six nominees, including last year’s winner Aitana Bonmati and two-time winner Alexia Putellas. It will be interesting to see who will be crowned the world’s best player at the upcoming ceremony.
