The change of era is confirmed. For the first time since 2006, Lionel Messi is not present in the list of thirty players nominated to win the Ballon d’Or. Another date: for the first time since 2003, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo are absent from this famous list. Between them, Messi (8) and CR7 (5) weigh 13 Ballon d’Or.
Still, the main stars of today’s football are present, such as Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Vinicius, Harry Kane or Lamine Yamal, winner of the Euro and revelation of last season. The Spanish are also in force in this list of thirty, with Dani Carvajal, Alejandro Grimaldo, Dani Olmo, Rodri, Nico Williams and therefore Lamine Yamal.
On the French side, there are only two players: William Saliba (Arsenal) and Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid). And we don’t see how either of them will be able to apply to win the Ballon d’Or.