What's happened
The 2024 Ballon d'Or nominees have been announced, highlighting the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the first time since 2003. Key contenders include Vinicius Jr., Rodri, and Jude Bellingham. The women's awards face criticism for lacking categories for young players and goalkeepers, with the ceremony set for October 28 in Paris.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Guardian highlights the absence of awards for young female players and goalkeepers, stating, "the lack of an award for under-21 female players is a crying shame." Al Jazeera notes the historic absence of Messi and Ronaldo, emphasizing the rise of new talents like Jude Bellingham. The Independent discusses the bittersweet nature of the nominees' seasons, with Rodri and Vinicius Jr. emerging as favorites. The Guardian also points out the scheduling conflict of the awards ceremony with international matches, which could prevent nominees from attending, raising questions about the organizers' commitment to women's football.
How we got here
The Ballon d'Or has evolved since its inception, expanding to include women's categories in 2018. However, the absence of awards for young female players and goalkeepers has raised concerns about recognition in women's football, especially as the ceremony approaches.
More on these topics
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The Ballon d'Or is an annual football award presented by French news magazine France Football that is one of the oldest and generally regarded as the most prestigious individual award for football players.
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Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, known as Rodri or Rodrigo, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester City and the Spain national team.
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Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH ComM is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Serie A club Juventus and captains the Portugal national team.
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Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid.
Founded on 6 March 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally worn a white home kit since inception.
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Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains both Spanish club Barcelona and the Argentina national team.