French soccer magazine, France Football, announced the 30 candidates for the 2024 Ballon d’Or on Wednesday, September 4. The shortlist, which includes the best players of the 2023-24 season — between August 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024 —, does not feature the two most successful players of the 21st century, eight-time winner Lionel Messi and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo. The two have failed to make the cut for the first time since 2003.
Here is the shortlist in full:
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
- Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter/Turkiye)
- Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid/Spain)
- Ruben Dias (Manchester City/Spain)
- Artem Dovbyk (Girona/Ukraine)
- Phil Foden (Manchester City/England)
- Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen/Spain)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway)
- Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund/Germany)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England)
- Toni Kroos (Real Madrid/Germany)
- Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/Nigeria)
- Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/Argentina)
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter/Argentina)
- Kylian Mbappe (PSG/France)
- Martin Odegaard (Arsenal/Norway)
- Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig/Spain)
- Cole Palmer (Chelsea/England)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal/England)
- Rodri (Manchester City/Spain)
- Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid/Germany)
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal/England)
- William Saliba (Arsenal/France)
- Federico Valverde (Real Madrid/Uruguay)
- Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/Brazil)
- Vitinha (PSG/Portugal)
- Nico Williams (Athletic Club/Spain)
- Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen/Germany)
- Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen/Switzerland)
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona/Spain)
With the Ronaldo-Messi era officially over and no former Ballon d’Or winner squeezing into the 30-man list, it is now time for someone new to be crowned the Best in the World. Below, we will take out the top five players who have a good chance of standing on the top step in Paris on October 28.
#5 Lamine Yamal – Barcelona/Spain
Lamine Yamal is almost guaranteed to win the Kopa Trophy 2024 aka the Ballon d’Or Young Player of the Year award. However, we believe his 2023-24 season was simply too good to just be considered for the Kopa Trophy. The 17-year-old did enough to earn a shoutout for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Having made his debut for the Barcelona senior team as a 15-year-old, Yamal became a key member of the first team in 2023-24. Then-coach Xavi gave him enough minutes, and Yamal repaid his coach’s faith by delivering smashing performances. Throughout the 2023-24 season, Yamal played in 50 games across competitions, scoring seven times and providing nine assists. Courtesy of his performances, Yamal earned the call-up for the 2024 European Championship.
Yamal shattered records left, right, and center in Germany, becoming the youngest player, youngest goalscorer, and finally youngest winner in EURO history. He scored once and claimed four assists in the tournament, taking home the Young Player of the Tournament award.
#4 Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid/Spain
The only player on the shortlist to win the UEFA Champions League, the domestic title, and the 2024 European Championship last season, Dani Carvajal thoroughly deserves to be one of the serious contenders for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. If he does the unthinkable, he will become the first defender since Fabio Cannavaro (2006) to lift the Golden Ball.
The veteran right-back enjoyed a stellar 2023-24 season for Real Madrid, chipping in with inspiring performances as the All-Whites conquered Spain and Europe. He scored six goals and provided five assists in 41 games in all competitions. His most important goal came in the UEFA Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, which helped Madrid to a 2-0 win. Carvajal’s jaw-dropping performance saw him win the Man of the Match award in the final.
Carvajal carried his blistering form to EURO 2024, scoring in Spain’s 3-0 win over Luka Modric’s Croatia on opening day. He did not put a foot wrong throughout the tournament and led La Roja to a historic fourth European Championship.
#3 Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid/England
The man who can seemingly do no wrong, Jude Bellingham joined the most decorated club in the world, Real Madrid, last summer. Standing out in a team as star-studded as Real Madrid is no mean task, but Bellingham made light work of it. Operating primarily in the final third for the first time in his career, Bellingham showed he had the quality to outscore pure center-forwards. In La Liga, Bellingham scored 19 times and provided six assists in 28 games, helping Madrid to the title. Then, in the UEFA Champions League, Bellingham scored four times and provided five assists as Los Blancos lifted the trophy at Wembley Stadium.
England had a disappointing 2024 European Championship campaign, with most of their stars failing to deliver. The 21-year-old was also below his best, but he still popped up with two priceless goals as England reached the final. Bellingham tried his best to push the Three Lions over the line in the final, setting up Cole Palmer’s equalizer in the 73rd minute. However, it ultimately counted for naught, as Mikel Oyarzabal popped up with the winner for Spain in the 86th minute.
#2 Rodri – Manchester City/Spain
Apart from Luka Modric, no central or defensive midfielder has won the Ballon d’Or in the 21st century. Manchester City maestro Rodri has a great shot at changing that this October.
Rodri helped Manchester City to a historic fourth-consecutive Premier League title in May, contributing not only with sensational midfield play but also with eight goals and nine assists in 34 matches. After wrapping up title celebrations in Manchester, Rodri jetted off to Germany to represent Spain at the 2024 European Championship. The 28-year-old led the team by example, delivering masterful midfield play and scoring in Spain’s 4-1 win over Georgia in the Round of 16. La Roja claimed the European crown and Rodri deservedly won the Player of the Tournament award.
Rodri has done everything in his power to take home the Ballon d’Or, and it would be a shame if he does not finish inside the top three.
#1 Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid/Brazil
The last 16 Ballon d’Or awards have either gone to Lionel Messi or a Real Madrid player. The Argentine genius will not win it this year, but there is a good chance that a Real Madrid player will.
Donning the iconic No. 7 jersey, Vinicius Jr. enjoyed a breathtaking 2023-24 season for Los Blancos. Despite missing many matches due to injuries, Vinicius Jr. scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 matches across competitions. His heroics helped Los Merengues win La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, and the Supercopa de Espana. Vinicius also scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 win over Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final and bagged a goal in the UEFA Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, propelling his team to a 2-0 victory.
Vinicius Jr. would have had the 2024 Ballon d’Or in the bag had he led Brazil to Copa America 2024 success. However, the 24-year-old fell short in that tournament, scoring just once in three games before Brazil crashed out in the quarter-finals after a shootout defeat to Uruguay. Vinicius Jr. missed the match due to suspension.
