For the first time in 21 years, neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi have been nominated in the men’s category.
And with Karim Benzema and Luka Modric also not on the 30-man shortlist, a first-time winner is guaranteed.
The runaway favourite, and expected to become the first Brazilian winner since 2007, is Vinicius Junior after his staring role last season in helping Real Madrid win the Champions League, LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup.
His club teammate Jude Bellingham is also high up on the odds sheet, while Premier League star Rodri is most likely to win the award if Vinicius surprisingly misses out.
Ahead of the awards ceremony, here’s everything you need to know, including the start time, the full list of nominees and how to watch in the UK
When is the Ballon d’Or 2024 ceremony?
This year’s ceremony takes place on Monday, October 28, 2024 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, with the ceremony set to begin at 7pm GMT.
How to watch the Ballon d’Or live on TV in the UK
The 2024 Ballon d’Or is not televised on any UK TV channel, but viewers can still catch all the action for free on L’Equipe’s YouTube channel.
Who are the Ballon d’Or 2024 nominees?
The full list of Ballon d’Or nominees is as follows:
- Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
- Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Turkey, Inter)
- Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid)
- Rúben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
- Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro / Girona / Roma)
- Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
- Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
- Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
- Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
- Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich)
- Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid)
- Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)
- Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
- Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter )
- Kylian Mbappé (France, Paris Saint-Germain / Real Madrid)
- Martin Ødegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
- Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig / Barcelona)
- Cole Palmer (England, Manchester City / Chelsea)
- Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
- Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
- Antonio Rüdiger (Germany, Real Madrid)
- Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
- William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
- Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)
- Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)
- Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
- Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Club)
- Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)
- Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)
- Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Favourites to win the Ballon d’Or
Odds courtesy of Unibet and subject to change
Vinicius Junior – 1/20
Rodri – 6/1
Jude Bellingham – 17/1
Dani Carvajal – 40/1
Erling Haaland – 40/1
Toni Kroos – 40/1
Kylian Mbappe – 40/1
Lamine Yamal – 40/1
How is the Ballon d’Or winner decided?
Unlike other awards that rely on votes from current players, the Ballon d’Or winner is voted on by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings.
Each journalist, one per country, is asked to select their 10 best players in order, with points attributed to each position. The winner is the player who receives the most points.
Who won the Ballon d’Or last year?
Full list of previous Ballon d’Or winners
2023 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2022 – Karim Benzema (France)
2021 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2020 – Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2018 – Luka Modric (Croatia)
2017 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2015 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2014 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2013 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2012 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2011 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2010 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2009 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2007 – Kaká (Brazil)
2006 – Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
2005 – Ronaldinho (Brazil)
2004 – Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine)
2003 – Pavel Nedvěd (Czechia)
2002 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
2001 – Michael Owen (England)
2000 – Luís Figo (Portugal)
1999 – Rivaldo (Brazil)
1998 – Zinedine Zidane (France)
1997 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
1996 – Matthias Sammer (Germany)
1995 – George Weah (Liberia)
1994 – Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)
1993 – Roberto Baggio (Italy)
1992 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1991 – Jean-Pierre Papin (France)
1990 – Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
1989 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1988 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1987 – Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)
1986 – Igor Belanov (Soviet Union)
1985 – Michel Platini (France)
1984 – Michel Platini (France)
1983 – Michel Platini (France)
1982 – Paolo Rossi (Italy)
1981 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
1980 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
1979 – Kevin Keegan (England)
1978 – Kevin Keegan (England)
1977 – Allan Simonsen (Denmark)
1976 – Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
1975 – Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union)
1974 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1973 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1972 – Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
1971 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1970 – Gerd Müller (West Germany)
1969 – Gianni Rivera (Italy)
1968 – George Best (Northern Ireland)
1967 – Flórián Albert (Hungary)
1966 – Bobby Charlton (England)
1965 – Eusébio (Portugal)
1964 – Denis Law (Scotland)
1963 – Lev Yashin (Soviet Union)
1962 – Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia)
1961 – Omar Sívori (Italy)
1960 – Luis Suárez (Spain)
1959 – Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina)
1958 – Raymond Kopa (France)
1957 – Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina)
1956 – Stanley Matthews (England)
What other awards are handed out?
As well as the Ballon d’Or for best men’s player, the Feminin Ballon d’Or is also awarded for the best female players.
Other awards include the Kopa Trophy, given to the best men’s under-21 player, the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper and the men’s and women’s Coach of the Year Trophy.
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