Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time winner and Lionel Messi, who won the title for a record eighth time last year, both missed on Ballon d'Or nominations, a first for the men's awards since 2003. Ronaldo wasn't included in the nominees last year as well while Messi missed out despite winning Copa America with Argentina in July this year. Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Rodri and Kylian Mbappe were some of the biggest names nominated among 30 for the men's award this time around.
Euro 2024 winners Spain have six players were nominated including 17-year-old winger for Barcelona Lamine Yamal, along with Nico Williams, Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri and Dani Carvajal. Similarly, Captain Harry Kane, midfielders Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Declan Rice, and forwards Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer were among six from England to be nominated for the prestigious award.
On the women's side, five USA players made the list of nominees a few weeks ago. Captain and midfielder Lindsey Horan, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and forwards Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson were included while five from Spain namely - Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey, Patri Guijarro, Salma Paralluelo and Alexia Putellas - made the list. Spain finished fourth at the Olympics, a year after winning the World Cup.
Full list of men's Ballon d'Or nominees - 2024
Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Türkiye, Inter)
Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid)
Rúben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)
Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich)
Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter )
Kylian Mbappé (France, Paris Saint-Germain / Real Madrid)
Martin Ødegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig / Barcelona)
Cole Palmer (England, Manchester City / Chelsea)
Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
Antonio Rüdiger (Germany, Real Madrid)
Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)
Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Club)
Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)
Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Full list of women's Ballon d'Or nominees - 2024
Barbra Banda (Zambia, Shanghai RCB / Orlando Pride)
Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)
Lucy Bronze (England, Barcelona / Chelsea)
Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Barcelona / Arsenal)
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi, Paris Saint-Germain / Olympique Lyonnais)
Grace Geyoro (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Manuela Giugliano (Italy, AS Roma)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)
Patricia Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)
Giulia Gwinn (Germany, Bayern München)
Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Manchester City)
Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Olympique Lyonnais)
Lauren Hemp (England, Manchester City)
Lindsey Horan (USA, Olympique Lyonnais)
Lauren James (England, Chelsea)
Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Alyssa Naeher (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
Sjoeke Nüsken (Germany, Chelsea)
Ewa Pajor (Poland, VfL Wolfsburg / Barcelona)
Salma Paralluelo (Spain, Barcelona)
Gabi Portilho (Brazil, Corinthians)
Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)
Mayra Ramírez (Colombia, Levante / Chelsea)
Trinity Rodman (USA, Washington Spirit)
Lea Schüller (Germany, Bayern München)
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City)
Sophia Smith (USA, Portland Thorns)
Mallory Swanson (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
Tarciane (Brazil, Corinthians / Houston Dash)
Glódís Viggósdóttir (Iceland, Bayern München)
