Spain’s Olympic champions and Champions League winners Real Madrid top the list of players in the running for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, football’s most prestigious individual award.
The list of 30 nominees was announced on Wednesday and, for the first time since 2003, neither Lionel Messi of Argentina nor Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal have been nominated.
Among the notable names are Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland. Young Spanish star Lamine Yamal was also nominated.
In the Yashin Trophy for Best Goalkeeper of the Year, South Africa’s Ronwen Williams made history by becoming the first player from Africa to be nominated.
To this day, George Weah remains the only African to win the Ballon d’Or, having won the award in 1995.
Among the candidates for the women’s award, Aitana Bonmatí, last year’s winner, was nominated again. American stars such as Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Alyssa Naeher and Lindsey Horan are also on the list of 30 contenders.
In addition to the traditional awards, the 2024 edition will introduce two new categories: Coach of the Year for men’s and women’s football.
Created by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or was awarded for the first time in 1956. The winners are chosen by a jury of journalists specialising in men’s and women’s football.
The 2024 awards will be presented at a ceremony in Paris on 28 October.