The men’s nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or include Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, both seen as potential successors to the long-standing dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in individual awards. However, while both players are on the shortlist, they are not considered frontrunners for the title. Instead, their teammates—Spain’s Rodri and Brazil’s Vinicius Junior—are in contention, although reports suggest Vinicius has been informed he will not win.
The 68th edition of the prestigious Ballon d’Or awards ceremony is set to take place on Monday at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, bringing together the best men’s and women’s soccer players from around the globe. Organized by the French publication France Football, this event has honored outstanding soccer talent since 1956.
An international jury of journalists plays a crucial role in determining the winners, with each member selecting their top ten players. The order of selection translates into points, ranging from 15 down to one, ultimately leading to the player with the highest total being crowned the Ballon d’Or winner.
Currently, Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati hold the titles in their respective categories. However, Messi will not be defending his eighth crown this year as he has not made the 30-man shortlist, meaning he will not be featured among the top players this time. In contrast, Bonmati aims to retain her title after winning her first women’s award in 2023. She could potentially join her Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas in achieving consecutive wins, further solidifying Barcelona’s dominance with four straight awards since 2021.
The ceremony will also feature other notable awards, such as the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player, previously won by stars like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, and the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper, currently held by Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez.
2024 Women’s Ballon d’Or Rankings
- 1. Grace Geyoro
- 2. Ewa Pajor
- 3. Lauren Hemp
- 4. Manuela Giugliano
- 5. Yui Hasegawa
- 6. Sjoeke Nusken
- 7. Lea Schuller
- 8. Tarciane
- 9. Glodis Viggosdottir
- 10. Mayra Ramirez
- 11. Lucy Bronze
- 12. Giulia Gwinn
- 13. Gabi Portilho
- 14. Alyssa Naeher
- 15. Tabitha Chawinga
- 16. Khadija Shaw
- 17. Ada Hegerberg
- 18. Lauren James
- 19. Barbra Banda
- 20. Patri Guijarro
2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or Rankings
- 1. Mats Hummels and Artem Dovbyk
- 2. Alejandro Grimaldo
- 3. Vitinha
- 4. Declan Rice
- 5. Cole Palmer
- 6. William Saliba
- 7. Ruben Dias
- 8. Antonio Rudiger
- 9. Bukayo Saka
- 10. Hakan Calhanoglu
- 11. Martin Odegaard
- 12. Emi Martinez
- 13. Federico Valverde
- 14. Granit Xhaka
Vini Jr. Drama
In a surprising turn of events, reports indicate that Real Madrid’s Vini Jr. will not be attending the ceremony, casting a shadow over his chances for the men’s 2024 Ballon d’Or. With the Brazilian star seemingly out of contention, Manchester City’s Rodri has emerged as a strong favorite for the top prize this evening in Paris.
Women’s Favorites
Bonmati is expected to defend her women’s award after an outstanding season with Barcelona, who recently clinched a fifth consecutive Liga F title and triumphed in the Champions League final against Lyon, where she was named player of the tournament. Additionally, Bonmati played a vital role in Spain’s UEFA Nations League victory earlier this year. Competition for the award also comes from her Barcelona teammate Caroline Graham Hansen, who had a remarkable season with 21 goals and 19 assists in Liga F, as well as OL’s Kadidiatou Diani and Barcelona’s Salma Paralluelo, alongside USWNT’s Mallory Swanson, who led her team to Olympic gold in Paris this summer.
Stay tuned for live updates as the awards are presented and the world’s top soccer talents are celebrated!