Dropping today is the 2024 Ballon d'Or nominee list, a sea change in football. These are the only top two finish outside of other Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi finalists since 2003! The fact theirs names are not there potentially marks the end of one pf the greatest individual duopolies in football history.
The Legacy of Ronaldo and Messi Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images The player gauntlet has been passed.
For nearly two decades, Ronaldo and Messi have personified an era of footballing excellence that Kopa-era Blanchflower could scarcely have imagined; between them they claim 12 Ballon d'Or nominations (7 for Messi, 5 for Ronaldo) as well. Every trophy they hoisted, every accolade won has lodged their place in footballing history.
Dazzling on club level with their clubs and also stepping up for national sides, these two have become synonymous of the beautiful game. They became for fans the routine challengers, taking the Ballon d'Or to previously unchartered territories. For close to 20 years, football fans would spend each season waiting for it to be decided whether this one or that one was going to lift the golden trophy.
But 2024 represents a departure from that storyline, in turn sparking introspection amongst concerned fans and analysts about the impact of no shows.
Why Ronaldo & Messi Not In 2024?
But age has caught up with both and they are no longer at the same level. Messi took his talents to the MLS at Inter Miami, and Ronaldo is now in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassar. In addition, the global map has long turned its focus from these leagues to budding talents performing in Europe's top leagues.
The Ballon d'Or has traditionally measured individual displays at the top of the game, such as in Champions League or Europe's key five leagues, and international tournaments. In an era with both Messi and Ronaldo playing outside of Europe, young dynamic attacking players have led the nominations this year — and for good reason.
Rising Stars: The Young and Beautiful of a New Era
A new generation of talent headlined the 2024 Ballon d'Or nominee list on their way to penning a story that is only just beginning in football history. Among the standout names are:
Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain): French forward has been touted as a futurist and long-term candidate to succeed Messi then Ronaldo, with his electrifying speed combined with technique always in tune on both PSG and the national team side.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City): Norwegian sensation took the football world by storm with his goal-scoring exploits notching up a record-breaking season as top scorer in leading Manchester City to their greatest ever historic treble. The physical specimen that is Lukaku, coupled with his finishing ability and coolness in front of goal has put him close to the top of those list.
VinÃcius Júnior (Real Madrid)The Brazilian winger has turned into a key figure at Real Madrid, with his skill and lightning-quick pace making him the standout performer in several matches. That development across recent seasons has seen him emerge as one of the best in.
Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid Though still a young English man, he has already played beyond his age. La Joya had earned a reputation as one of the top talents in football, with his game control coupled by speed and skill making him many neutrals' favourite star.
Here is the full list
Nominees 1|6
Nominees 2|6
Nominees 3|6
Nominees 4|6
Nominees 5|6
Nominees 6|6
The future of Ronaldo and Messi
But even though Ronaldo and Messi may not be in the 2018 Ballon d'Or rankings, their legacy will remain undeniable. Both are still starring in the professional game elsewhere, with Ronaldo currently hogging headlines overseas in Saudi Arabia and Messi busy revolutionising football across the pond States-side.
Fans across the globe have witnessed a level of excellence that has not been seen before, and while these two titans no longer grace the Ballon d'Or standings, they are still iconoclasts who've altered their sport in ways incomparable for individuals to disassociate themselves with.
In other words: Here, a new chapter begins.
The 2024 Ballon d'Or nominee list marks a new dawn in football, one that welcomes the gifted young talents of tomorrow. But this is a truer reflection of football in 2018: the day Messi and Ronaldo are not included — no matter how strange that will feel. A host of new stars are emerging and the future looks bright for football.
While the landscape of football moves on, Messi and Ronaldo will remain two stalwarts that leave indelible marks upon their game—returning to inspire younger players to lift fives Ballon d'Ors. But this year, it's all about the new faces of football as they take aim at following in Canelo's footsteps; the search for another global star starts here.
0 Comments