England’s Jude Bellingham will have to finish ahead of his Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Junior and Manchester City midfielder Rodri if he is to win the Ballon d’Or and be crowned the world’s best footballer for 2024.
Bellingham is hoping his sensational debut season at the Bernabeu will help him upgrade the Kopa Trophy he won at last year’s ceremony for the best player under the age of 21.
A free-scoring start to life in Spain saw him twice find the net with stoppage-time El Clasico winners and a Euro 2024 victory with England would have surely guaranteed him the Ballon d’Or.
Bellingham rescued England with a stunning overhead kick to avoid elimination against Slovakia in the last-16 – but, despite reaching the final, he was unable to prevent his nation falling to defeat against Spain.
However, with Vinicius scoring a hat-trick in the final of the Spanish Super Cup and starring in Real’s Champions League triumph, he may have the edge.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri is also one of the favourites on the list of nominees after being named ‘Player of the Tournament’ as Spain won Euro 2024, while his club side defended its Premier League title.
Rodri’s club teammate Erling Haaland is among the nominees after scoring 38 goals for City last season, while Phil Foden and Ruben Dias have also been given the nod.
England’s Euro 2024 runners-up are well represented, with Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer all included.
It is the most England internationals ever to be nominated for the award, with one more nomination than the five listed in 2005.
Granit Xhaka played a pivotal role in Bayer Leverkusen’s phenomenal double-winning season and he has been rewarded with a place on the list.
Barcelona and Spain teenage sensation Lamine Yamal (17) has become the youngest player ever to be nominated for the award.
That record was previously held by Kylian Mbappe, who has also been included on this year’s list.
Yamal is also on the shortlist for the Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the best player under the age of 21.
For the first time since 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have not been nominated for the Ballon d’Or.
Ballon d’Or Nominations 2024
- Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid
- Ruben Dias – Manchester City
- Phil Foden – Manchester City
- Federico Valverde – Real Madrid
- Emiliano Martinez – Aston Villa
- Erling Haaland – Manchester City
- Nico Williams – Athletic Bilbao
- Granit Xhaka – Bayer Leverkusen
- Artem Dovbyk – AS Roma
- Toni Kroos – Real Madrid (retired)
- Vinicius Jr. – Real Madrid
- Dani Olmo – Barcelona
- Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen
- Martin Odegaard – Arsenal
- Mats Hummels – Borussia Dortmund
- Rodri – Manchester City
- Harry Kane – Bayern Munich
- Declan Rice – Arsenal
- Vitinha – Paris Saint-Germain
- Cole Palmer – Chelsea
- Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid
- Lamine Yamal – Barcelona
- Bukayo Saka – Arsenal
- Hakan Calhanoglu – Inter Milan
- William Saliba – Arsenal
- Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid
- Lautaro Martinez – Inter Milan
- Ademola Lookman – Atalanta
- Antonio Rudiger – Real Madrid
- Alejandro Grimaldo – Bayer Leverkusen