The 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist is here, and six England players who helped the team reach the Euro 2024 final are in the mix! Captain Harry Kane, midfielders Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Declan Rice, along with forwards Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer, are all contenders for the prestigious award, which is given to the best male footballer of the year.
Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who only turned 17 in July, also made the list. He helped Spain beat England 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin on July 14.
Interestingly, this year marks a big change – for the first time since 2003, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo are on the Ballon d’Or shortlist! Messi, who won the award a record eight times (including last year in 2023), and Ronaldo, a five-time winner, are both missing from the 30-man lineup. With Karim Benzema and Luka Modric also left out, the Ballon d’Or will have a first-time winner in 2024!
The list is packed with talent, with eight players from Manchester City and Arsenal, two of the top teams in the Premier League. Manchester United’s young stars Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are nominated for the Kopa Trophy, given to the best young player, while Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez, last year’s winner, is shortlisted again for the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper.
The winners will be announced in Paris on October 28, so mark your calendars!
Ballon d’Or Nominees Include:
- Jude Bellingham (England and Real Madrid)
- Harry Kane (England and Bayern Munich)
- Erling Haaland (Norway and Manchester City)
- Bukayo Saka (England and Arsenal)
- Kylian Mbappe (France and Real Madrid)
- And many more stars!
No Messi or Ronaldo for the First Time Since 2003!
Who do you think will win the 2024 Ballon d’Or? We’ll find out soon enough!
Other players:
- 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)
