Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both been left off the list of nominees for this year's Ballon d'Or, marking the first time since 2003 that neither star has been included.
Messi, a record eight-time winner, and Ronaldo, who has claimed the award five times, did not feature in the 30-player list announced Wednesday. The award will be presented on October 28. Notable nominees this year include Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane.
Vinicius Junior and Bellingham played key roles in helping Real Madrid secure LaLiga and their 16th Champions League title last season. Haaland topped the Premier League in goals scored, while Kane achieved the same feat in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich. Earlier this summer, Mbappé completed his much-anticipated move to Madrid after six seasons with PSG.
Messi, who won the award last year, is currently recovering from an injury with Inter Miami. He first won the Ballon d'Or in 2009, beginning a four-year streak. Ronaldo, who first received a nomination in 2004, and Messi dominated the award during the peak of their careers, sharing a combined 13 victories from 2008.
On the women’s side, five U.S. players are among the nominees, including captain Lindsey Horan, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, and forwards Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson. They were recently recognized for their role in winning the 2024 Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer.
Spanish nominees include Aitana BonmatÃ, Mariona Caldentey, Patri Guijarro, Salma Paralluelo, and Alexia Putellas. Spain finished fourth at the Olympics, a year after winning the World Cup. Spanish players have won the Ballon d'Or in each of the past three years—twice for Putellas and last year for BonmatÃ.
England, which was defeated by Spain in the 2023 World Cup final, has three nominees: Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, and Lucy Bronze.
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