Lionel Messi Not Nominated For Ballon D'Or As New Talents Rise

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Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi has not been nominated for this year's award. Despite helping Argentina secure a record 16th Copa America title, Messi only scored once in the tournament and was injured in the final against Colombia. His club season was also marred by injuries, limiting him to 12 MLS appearances, though he still managed to score 12 goals.

The absence of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo marks the first time since 2003 that neither player is in contention for the Ballon d'Or. This year’s shortlist includes six England internationals and rising star Lamine Yamal. The list is dominated by players who shone at Euro 2024, with Spain and England each having six nominees.

Messi's Argentina team-mates Emiliano Martinez and Lautaro Martinez are among the nominees. Spain won Euro 2024 for a record fourth time, defeating England 2-1 in Berlin. Seventeen-year-old Yamal had a breakout tournament, scoring once and providing four assists—the highest assist tally at any Euros since Opta began recording data in 1980.

Nico Williams, Dani Olmo, Dani Carvajal, and Alejandro Grimaldo are other notable Spanish nominees. Manchester City's Rodri is also on the list and is considered a strong contender. Rodri played in all but four Premier League games last season, with City losing three of those matches he missed.

England's Jude Bellingham is seen as a key challenger for the award. He is joined by Harry Kane, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Declan Rice, and Bukayo Saka on the shortlist. Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior also made the cut after scoring 24 goals and providing nine assists during Los Blancos' double-winning season.

Key Contenders for the Award

Kylian Mbappe is another strong candidate after scoring an impressive 44 goals in his final season with Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Real Madrid. The competition for this year's Ballon d'Or appears fierce with many standout performers from both club and international competitions.

This year's Ballon d'Or shortlist reflects a shift towards recognising emerging talents alongside established stars. With Messi and Ronaldo absent from the nominations for the first time in over two decades, new faces have taken centre stage.