A New Era of Football: The Ballon d’Or Without Messi or Ronaldo
The 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist marked a significant milestone in the history of football: it was the first time since 2003 that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo were nominated.
This unprecedented event signals a potential shift in the landscape of the sport, as the era dominated by these two iconic figures comes to a close.
The Absence of Messi and Ronaldo
The duo has been a constant presence on the Ballon d’Or shortlist since 2004, sharing a combined 13 wins between them. Their dominance has been so overwhelming that no other player has won the award since 2007, except for Luka Modric in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022.
The absence of Messi and Ronaldo from the 2024 shortlist is a testament to the changing dynamics of the sport. Both players have moved away from European club football, with Messi joining Inter Miami and Ronaldo playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
A New Generation of Football Stars
The absence of Messi and Ronaldo has paved the way for a new generation of football stars to emerge. Players like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Kevin De Bruyne are all considered strong contenders for the Ballon d’Or in the coming years.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist featured several of these rising stars, showcasing the depth and talent of modern football.
A Look Back at 2003
To understand the significance of Messi and Ronaldo’s absence, it’s worth looking back at the 2003 Ballon d’Or. Pavel Nedved won the award that year, leading Juventus to the Champions League final. Thierry Henry, Paolo Maldini, Andriy Shevchenko, and Zinedine Zidane were also among the top contenders.
The 2003 shortlist featured a diverse range of players from different leagues and positions, reflecting the more competitive nature of football at that time.
The absence of Messi and Ronaldo from the 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist marks a new chapter in the history of the sport. While their legacy will undoubtedly live on, the future of football is now in the hands of a new generation of talented players.
2003 Ballon d’Or nominees
- Pavel Nedved – Juventus/Czech Republic
- Thierry Henry – Arsenal/France
- Paolo Maldini – AC Milan/Italy
- Andriy Shevchenko – AC Milan/Ukraine
- Zinedine Zidane – Real Madrid/France
- Ruud van Nistelrooy – Man Utd/Netherlands
- Raul – Real Madrid/Spain
- Roberto Carlos – Real Madrid/Brazil
- Gianluigi Buffon – Juventus/Italy
- David Beckham – Man Utd/Real Madrid/England
- Ronaldo – Real Madrid/Brazil
- Henrik Larsson – Celtic/Sweden
- Alessandro del Piero – Juventus/Italy
- Dida – AC Milan/Brazil
- Roy Makaay – Deportivo La Coruna/Bayern Munich/Netherlands
- Alessandro Nesta – AC Milan/Italy
- Deco – Porto/Portugal
- Nihat Kahveci – Real Sociedad/Turkey
- Francesco Totti – Roma/Italy
- Michael Ballack – Bayern Munich/Germany
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Ajax/Sweden
- Filippo Inzaghi – AC Milan/Italy
- Jan Koller – Borussia Dortmund/Czech Republic
- Adrian Mutu – Parma/Chelsea/Romania
- Ronaldinho – PSG/Barcelona/Brazil
- Francesco Toldo – Inter/Italy
- Pablo Aimar – Valencia/Argentina
- Sol Campbell – Arsenal/England
- Iker Casillas – Real Madrid/Spain
- Christian Chivu – Ajax/Roma/Romania
- Samuel Eto’o – Mallorca/Cameroon
- Luis Figo – Real Madrid/Portugal
- Giovane Elber – Bayern Munich/Brazil
- Ludovic Giuly – Monaco/France
- Oliver Kahn – Bayern Munich/Germany
- Patrick Kluivert – Barcelona/Netherlands
- Darko Kovacevic – Real Sociedad/Serbia & Montenegro
- Claude Makelele – Real Madrid/Chelsea/France
- Michael Owen – Liverpool/England
- Pauleta – Bordeaux/PSG/Portugal
- Robert Pires – Arsenal/France
- Michel Salgado – Real Madrid/Spain
- Paul Scholes – Man Utd/England
- Lilian Thuram – Juventus/France
- Hatem Trabelsi – Ajax/Tunisia
- David Trezeguet – Juventus/France
- Patrick Vieira – Arsenal/France
- Christian Vieri – Inter/Italy
- Sylvain Wiltord – Arsenal/France
- Gianluca Zambrotta – Juventus/Italy
