A highly anticipated event in the football calendar, the nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or and its related awards were revealed on Wednesday. Real Madrid duo Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior – alongside Euro 2024 winner Rodri – are rightly the three favourites to claim the prize. Meanwhile, the likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Harry Kane are in the running for an outside shot at glory.
In total, 30 men’s players are in contention to win the prestigious Golden Ball. But there were some significant snubs on the shortlist, too. As a streak of over 20 years has come to an end, with neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo being included in the final cut, here are the 10 best players to miss out on this year’s ceremony.
Ranking Factors
- Form in 2023/24
- Club Honours
- International Performance
| Best Players Without a 2024 Ballon d’Or Nomination | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player | Club | Country | Position |
| 1 | Rodrygo | Real Madrid | Brazil | Forward |
| 2 | Jamal Musiala | Bayern Munich | Germany | Midfielder |
| 3 | Julian Alvarez | Atletico Madrid | Argentina | Forward |
| 4 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | Argentina | Forward |
| 5 | Virgil Van Dijk | Liverpool | Netherlands | Defender |
| 6 | Ollie Watkins | Aston Villa | England | Forward |
| 7 | Serhou Guirassy | Borussia Dortmund | Guinea | Forward |
| 8 | Mohammed Salah | Liverpool | Egypt | Forward |
| 9 | Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | Belgium | Midfielder |
| 10 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Al-Nassr | Portugal | Forward |
10 Cristiano Ronaldo
Al-Nassr and Portugal
Throughout his illustrious career, the 39-year-old has left a trail of broken records in his path – most recently being awarded the Guinness World Records title for the most YouTube subscribers gained in 24 hours, But Ronaldo’s time at the pinnacle of world football couldn’t feel any more like a distant memory than right now.
Although the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar was knighted with another Golden Boot last season as he topped the Saudi Pro League scoring charts, a dismal Euro 2024 campaign all but confirmed the news surrounding his first Ballon d’Or shortlist snub in 20 years.
9 Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City and Belgium
A lot of the reasoning behind Kevin De Bruyne’s omission this year can be put down to a hamstring injury early in the 2023/24 season, which saw the all-action midfielder miss 35 games in all competitions. However, upon returning to action midway through the campaign, the Belgium international played a vital role in securing Manchester City’s fourth consecutive Premier League title.
In just 18 appearances, the 33-year-old scored four goals and provided 10 assists in England’s top flight. When factored in that he also contributed to four goals in just two Champions League appearances, it’s then perhaps surprising that he missed out on this year’s Parisian gala.
8 Mo Salah
Liverpool and Egypt
He was once dubbed a one-season wonder by rival fans. But, seven years on, and Mo Salah still looks to be at the peak of his powers and within the conversation of the world’s best forwards. Last season might have been his least productive campaign since arriving in England in 2017 from Roma, but with 18 goals and 10 assists, it’s hard to argue against the mind-boggling numbers the Egyptian King put on the board.
Unfortunately, having just the Carabao Cup title added to his trophy cabinet last term will have meant he dropped plenty of marks among the judges. After all, while the Ballon d’Or should – keyword ‘should’ – be about individual performances, club achievements are still used as an important measure, too.
7 Serhou Guirassy
Borussia Dortmund and Guinea
If the award was based on pure attacking numbers, Serhou Guirassy would definitely be disappointed that he didn’t make the list. With 28 goals (plus three assists), only six players in Europe’s top five leagues had more goal contributions than Guirassy last season — and five of them made the final cut.
The Guinean talisman’s rate of 1.1 goals per 90 last season was bettered by no other player in Europe as he propelled VfB Stuttgart from relegation candidates in the prior campaign to Champions League qualification the year after – finishing above Bayer Munich even. These efforts managed to earn him a move to Borussia Dortmund, but it was unable to secure him a place on the 30-man shortlist. Most disappointingly, though, especially in an AFCON year, only one African player was successful, with Atalanta’s Europa League hero, Ademola Lookman, given time in the limelight.
6 Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa and England
As aforementioned, only six players in Europe’s top five leagues had more goal contributions than Guirassy last season. The only one to achieve such a feat and then not get rewarded for it with a Ballon d’Or nomination was Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
The 2023/24 season played witness to Watkins cementing himself as one of the most lethal marksmen in the English top flight. The 28-year-old was the most involved man in Unai Emery’s team’s run to Champions League qualification as he registered 19 goals and 13 assists, with the latter earning him the Playmaker Award. From the Championship to the Champions League, Watkins’ rise to the top has been brilliant to witness, even if Europe’s critics are yet to acknowledge his magic.
5 Virgil Van Dijk
Liverpool and Netherlands
Again, if the Ballon d’Or award was going on form over the whole year, how Mats Hummels is there and Virgil van Dijk isn’t makes very little sense (if any at all). Certainly, the German was integral in Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League run, but after missing out on Euro 2024 selection, there has to be question marks.
Van Dijk’s consistency last season was very reminiscent of his 2018 magnum opus, which saw the colossal Dutchman finish runner-up to Lionel Messi. Nevertheless, a Man of the Match performance in the Carabao Cup won’t do a lot to grab the attention of the illiberal Parisian judges, and so a lack of a Champions League, European Championship, or Premier League winners’ medal immediately confined the 33-year-old to unreasonable obscurity.
4 Lionel Messi
Inter Miami and Argentina
Without Ronaldo and Messi at this year’s ceremony, 2024 feels very much like the official end of an era in football. But while Ronaldo’s omission was widely expected after a trophy-less season at Al-Nassr and a disappointing Euro 2024 with Portugal, his Argentinian adversary did at least have a case for inclusion.
The eight-time winner captained Argentina to the Copa America title in the summer for their third-successive major tournament triumph, and while he was nowhere near as influential as in the previous two, Messi still had his moments for La Albiceleste. At club level, he managed 14 goals and 11 assists in just 15 games for MLS side Inter Miami, but this wasn’t enough to prolong his long-term residency among the elite 30.
3 Julian Alvarez
Atletico Madrid and Argentina
It’s truly remarkable that, at just 24 years old, the only thing Julian Alvarez needs to tick off his bucket list before he can genuinely consider retirement is a Ballon d’Or. But while the World Cup, Copa America, Premier League, and Champions League winner made waves last season whilst De Bruyne was injured, that dream has to be put on hold for now.
Alvarez’s performances might often go under the radar, but his return of 21 goals and 13 assists for club and country combined during the past campaign cannot be matched by many, and the £82 million that Atletico Madrid paid to sign him over the summer highlights the level of player being spoken about here.
2 Jamal Musiala
Bayern Munich and Germany
Considering how influential Jamal Musiala was at this summer’s European Championship, and just how remarkable his numbers were for Bayern Munich, it would probably not come as any surprise if we were to learn that the Ballon d’Or scriptwriters lived in a box in the coming weeks.
Enjoyers of European football were swept off their feet by Musiala Mania in the sunshine months, as he scored three goals in five Euro 2024 matches with Germany, which added to his impressive tally of 20 goal involvements in 38 club appearances. In terms of talent, the 21-year-old is also one of the most technically gifted footballers on the planet without the need for numbers to support his already-convincing case.
1 Rodrygo
Real Madrid and Brazil
Following a season in which they captured both La Liga and the Champions League titles, six players from Carlo Ancelotti’s 2023/24 Real Madrid squad—Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Toni Kroos, Dani Carvajal, Fede Valverde, and Antonio Rudiger—earned a spot on the Ballon d’Or shortlist. Few others at the Bernabeu could have claimed they did enough to join them, but Rodrygo certainly has the most compelling argument.
The Brazil forward totalled 17 goals and nine assists for Los Blancos last term, including the key strike at the Etihad Stadium which helped the Galacticos eventually see off Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals. His form did admittedly fluctuate, while he couldn’t lift Brazil at the Copa America. But given the trophies he did contribute towards winning, Rodrygo is certainly right to feel cheated when it comes to individual recognition.