The list of 30 men who’ve been nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or was announced on Wednesday, September 4. It features the players whose performances were incredible in the 2023-24 season. These players achieved great success on an individual level and on the team front as well.
The Ballon d’Or is awarded to the player who put in the best performances and achieved great success during the given time period. The 2024 edition of the award will include performances from the 2023-24 club season and the international tournaments in the summer as well – Euro 2024, and Copa America 2024.
As every year, there are some favorites to win the coveted prize this year as well. These players were vital for the club and country to win multiple trophies during the 2023-24 season. They put in excellent performances at the biggest of stages consistently to help their teams achieve success.
So, let’s take a look at the Top 5 Ballon d’Or contenders for 2024:
5. Lautaro Martinez
Lautaro Martinez isn’t arguably the most popular name as a contender for the 2024 Ballon d’Or but one cannot deny his achievements last season.
Martinez helped Inter Milan lift the Serie A title and was the league’s top scorer with 24 goals and six assists in 33 games. He also helped them lift the Italian Super Cup, scoring one and assisting one in two games.
Martinez then went to Copa America 2024 with Argentina and shone in the tournament. He was initially a substitute with Julian Alvarez starting ahead of him but Martinez soon took his place back. He was the top scorer at the tournament with five goals as La Albiceleste defended the Copa America trophy.
4. Dani Carvajal
A right-back being in contention for the Ballon d’Or is in itself a testament to his excellence. The experienced Dani Carvajal was part of the best defense in La Liga last season as Real Madrid kept 22 clean sheets and conceded just 26 goals in 38 games in the league.
Carvajal was also a big threat going forward, scoring six goals and providing five assists in 41 games across competitions. He helped Los Blancos win three trophies – UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and Supercopa de Espana.
The 32-year-old then also played a key role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, playing five of the seven matches.
3. Rodri
Rodri’s importance to Manchester City cannot be stated enough. They look like a completely different team without him and it is reflected in their results as well.
After a treble-winning 2022-23 season, Rodri helped the Cityzens win a record fourth consecutive Premier League title. He made 50 appearances across competitions for them, registering nine goals and 14 assists. However, he was unable to help them win the Champions League or the FA Cup.
Rodri was then named the Player of the Tournament at Euro 2024 for his performances as Spain lifted the trophy. He made six appearances at the tournament but was subbed off at half-time in the final against England due to an injury.
2. Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham had one of the best debut seasons in football history in the 2023-24 campaign. He joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund for around €103 million and settled in perfectly in his first season.
Bellingham scored 23 goals and provided 13 assists in 42 games across competitions, playing multiple positions. He was named La Liga’s Player of the Year after helping Real Madrid lift the trophy. He also won the Supercopa de Espana and the UEFA Champions League
At Euro 2024, he scored two crucial goals and provided one assist in seven appearances, helping England reach the final.
1. Vinicius Jr.
Vinicius is widely regarded as the favorite to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or after his performances last season. After Real Madrid parted ways with Karim Benzema in the summer of 2023, Vinicius stepped up as their leader in attack. He scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in just 39 games across competitions.
The Brazilian winger put in some brilliant performances at crucial moments. He scored a hat-trick in the Supercopa de Espana final against Barcelona. He also scored a brace in the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich and one goal in the final against Borussia Dortmund. He was named the Player of the Tournament in the UCL as he helped Real Madrid win it for a record-extending 15th time.
Vinicius also scored two goals in three games at the Copa America 2024 for Brazil. However, he was suspended for the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated against Uruguay on penalties.
Also Read: What led Real Madrid to win the UEFA Champions League final against Dortmund?
FAQs
Q. When will Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony take place?
A. The ceremony will be held in Paris on October 28, 2024.
Q. Is there a new award at the Ballon d’Or ceremony?
A. Yes. There will be two new awards – Men’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Coach of the Year – from this year onwards.
Q. Who won the Ballon d’Or last year?
A. Lionel Messi won his record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023.
Also Read: Neymar backs Vinicius Junior to win the Ballon d’Or award