Ballon D’Or 2024: Who Will Take Home Football’s Biggest Prize?

The Ballon d'Or is football's most prestigious individual honor. This unique laurel has been awarded annually by the French magazine “France Football” since 1956. Lionel Messi holds the record with eight wins and is the current prize holder. Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time winner, boasts a record 18 nominations.

Journalists and experts from FIFA’s top 100 nations cast votes for this award. The shortlist for the 2024 Ballon d'Or has been announced, with the ceremony set for October 28 in Paris. Who will be crowned as the best player this year? Let's explore the chances of leading contenders.

Rodri

Rodri is undoubtedly central to Manchester City's successes in recent years. He's super important! When he played, his team didn't lose a single game for a year. However, that record was broken after City’s FA Cup final loss against Man Utd.

Rodri is good at stopping other teams from scoring from the base, but he can also score big goals. Two seasons ago, he scored the goal that won City the league title and another that won them the Champions League against Inter.

Last season, Rodri scored 12 goals and helped Pep's side with 15 assists. He went on to win the Premier League, Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup. He wrapped it up with the Euro 2024 title with Spain. His performance in that competition earned him the tournament's best player—a remarkable achievement for a defensive midfielder.

His stellar season puts him firmly in the Ballon d'Or conversation, though history is against him. No Spanish player has won it in over 60 years. Also, no one who plays Rodri's position has won it in 30 years. But Rodri's been so amazing, he might be the one to change that. Several prediction sites favor him for the win.

Erling Haaland

Many were shocked when Erling Haaland failed to win the 2023 Ballon d'Or, given his extraordinary performances that season. With 52 goals in 53 games, Haaland led Manchester City to an historic treble. They won the English Premier League, FA Cup, and their first Champions League title.



Haaland's chances have improved with Lionel Messi absent from this year’s list. His continued brilliance last season helped City claim a fourth consecutive Premier League title. He netted 27 goals in 31 matches, alongside six in the Champions League.

Haaland is physical and has pace, intelligent movement, and dribbling. He has a deadly finishing ability with both feet and his head. The 24-year-old has hit seven goals in just three Premier League matches this season, which reminds everyone why he’s one of football’s most lethal strikers.

Haaland’s goal-scoring record speaks for itself despite lacking an international tournament appearance. Few can match his prowess, and the Norwegian seems well-placed to finally claim the Ballon d'Or this year.

Vinicius Junior

Vinicius Jr. has risen to stardom at Real Madrid, establishing himself as a key player in their attack. His blistering pace makes him nearly impossible to defend, often forcing opponents to back off to avoid being outpaced.

The Brazilian has consistently delivered in high-pressure moments. Notably, in the last Champions League final, he scored his 24th goal of the season to secure a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund. In La Liga last season, he contributed 15 goals, alongside six in the Champions League.

While Vinicius continues to shine at club level, his international performances have left room for improvement. The Brazilian has only five goals in 34 caps, and Brazil's recent disappointment in the 2024 Copa América may have hurt his chances for individual accolades.

At 24, Vinicius is undoubtedly a leading candidate for football’s top awards, but his lack of international success could weigh against him. Despite this, he remains one of the most dynamic talents in world football.

Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham was the standout footballer during the first half of the 2023-24 season. He marked his debut season at the Spanish capital with 23 goals and 13 assists across all competitions. The Englishman was crucial to Madrid's claiming the Champions League, Spanish La Liga, and Supercopa de Espana titles last season.

3 more in the bag, see ya Tuesday!🤍#HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/5SCg1vf8hm

— Jude Bellingham (@BellinghamJude) September 21, 2024

Although injuries and suspensions slowed him down in early 2024, Bellingham bounced back with strong performances. He helped eliminate Manchester City from the Champions League and netted a second stoppage-time winner in El Clasico.

At Euro 2024, he scored two crucial goals for England, including a dramatic overhead kick against Slovakia in the last 16. A win in the final against Spain might have secured him the Ballon d'Or, but England fell short in Berlin.

Nevertheless, Bellingham’s generational talent ranks him among the best in the world and could clinch the award.

Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappé is widely regarded as the best player in the world today, and his global appeal will give him an edge in future Ballon d'Or races. However, he is behind other contenders for this season. The Frenchman indeed won the French Ligue 1 title with PSG last season. However, that title win won't improve his chances of grabbing his first Ballon D’or win this year.

Concerning his performance last season, Mbappé’s lethal scoring form drove PSG to another domestic title. Additionally, his double in the Champions League quarter-finals helped knock out Barcelona. However, PSG eventually fell to Dortmund in the semi-finals.

His season total of 52 goals for club and country was matched only by Harry Kane, which underscores his brilliance. While his anticipated move to Real Madrid may enhance his legacy, his international campaigns ended on disappointing notes.

France's underperformance at Euro 2024, compounded by Mbappé’s struggle with a broken nose, didn’t help his case for football's top individual honor.

Nevertheless, Mbappé’s immense talent and global appeal keep him in the race for the Ballon d'Or. Even though last season didn’t end on a high, the new Galactico remains a strong contender for the prestigious award.

Conclusion

With Messi and Ronaldo excluded from this year's nominations, the Ballon d'Or 2024 race is wide open. All shortlisted players have equal chances of landing the award. However, the ultimate winner will likely depend on individual performances in crucial tournaments and voters' overall perception of the season's best player.