Messi, Ronaldo left off Ballon d’Or list of contenders

FILE – Argentina’s Lionel Messi during a Copa America semifinal soccer match against Canada in East Rutherford, N.J., July 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson, File)

Lionel Messi may be considered by many as the greatest football player of all time, but the Argentina star was omitted from the list of nominations to win this year’s Ballon d’Or award — the sport’s most prized individual honor.

The record eight-time winner and holder of the trophy did not feature Wednesday in a list of 30 players in the running for the award, which will be presented Oct. 28.

Also excluded was Messi’s great rival, five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo. It was the first time since 2003 that neither player made the list.

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Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are among the names nominated.

Messi, who left European football behind when moving from Paris Saint-Germain to Inter Miami last year, is still delivering at a high level and helped Argentina win the Copa America in July. The 37-year-old beat Manchester City striker Haaland to the award last year, but will not defend his title.

Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 — the start of a four-year streak of taking the top prize.

He was first nominated in 2006.

Messi and Ronaldo turned the competition into a near-two-way contest during the peak of their careers — winning it a combined 13 times from 2008.

Ronaldo’s first nomination was 2004.

READ: Ronaldo says retirement won’t be a ‘difficult decision’

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after failing to score during a quarterfinal match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Their omission from the list of nominations is likely due to leaving top-flight European club football, with Ronaldo having moved to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

A new generation of talent has emerged in the form of Mbappé, Vinicius Junior, Bellingham and Haaland. Emerging teenage star Lamine Yamal of Spain was also nominated.

While City striker Haaland was runner-up to Messi last year, the favorites to be crowned Ballon d’Or winner this time around include Real Madrid pair Vinicius Junior and Bellingham, as well as City and Spain midfielder Rodri.

Messi was also left off the list in 2022, but powered back to inspire Argentina to the World Cup title later that year and won his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023.

However, at the latter end of his career and now playing in MLS, he may find it harder to hold off the challenge of his younger rivals for the title of the game’s best.

It is also notable that he was omitted despite winning a major international honor with Argentina this year.

Aitana Bonmati, who won the women’s award last year is nominated again. U.S. stars Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Alyssa Naeher and Lindsey Horan were also on the 30-long list of contenders.

The awards are voted for by a jury of men’s and women’s football journalists.

Created by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or was first awarded to England great Stanley Matthews in 1956.

Legends of the game including Eusébio, Bobby Charlton, George Best, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane have all won it in the past.