Seven Real Madrid stars, four Arsenal players, two Barcelona stars, and one Nigerian forward have been named in the 2024 Ballon d’Or nominees. The full list of contenders for the awards ceremony was revealed on Wednesday as the award named thirty players.
The thirty players did not contain former winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the first time since 2003 but also consisted six English players. Karim Benzema and Luca Modric, who are some of the few who denied the two GOATS in recent years, are still actively playing but have not made the list as well.
Their omissions mean that the award will also have a new winner. Real Madrid’s stars Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinicius Jr. are considered heavy favorites, as is Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who won the Euro 2024 with Spain in the summer.
Barcelona only had Dani Olmo and teenager Lamine Yamal on the list, and while the reigning African Player of the Year Victor Osimehn didn’t return, his Nigerian teammate Ademola Lookman was included in the list.
Ballon d’Or nominees:
Jude Bellingham (England and Real Madrid)
Ruben Dias (Portugal and Manchester City)
Phil Foden (England and Manchester City)
Federico Valverde (Uruguay and Real Madrid)
Emiliano Martinez (Argentina and Aston Villa)
Erling Haaland (Norway and Manchester City)
Nico Williams (Spain and Athletic Bilbao)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland and Bayer Leverkusen)
Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine and Roma)
Toni Kroos (former Germany and Real Madrid)
Vinicius Jr (Brazil and Real Madrid)
Dani Olmo (Spain and Barcelona)
Florian Wirtz (Germany and Bayer Leverkusen)
Martin Odegaard (Norway and Arsenal)
Mats Hummels (Germany, free agent)
Rodri (Spain and Manchester City)
Harry Kane (England and Bayern Munich)
Declan Rice (England and Arsenal)
Vitinha (Portugal and Paris St-Germain)
Cole Palmer (England and Chelsea)
Dani Carvajal (Spain and Real Madrid)
Lamine Yamal (Spain and Barcelona)
Bukayo Saka (England and Arsenal)
Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey and Inter Milan)
William Saliba (France and Arsenal)
Kylian Mbappe (France and Real Madrid)
Lautaro Martinez (Argentina and Inter Milan)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria and Atalanta)
Antonio Rudiger (Germany and Real Madrid)
Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain and Bayer Leverkusen).
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