By tf-lawyer.com Lionel Messi, who led Argentina to victory in the Copa America, surprisingly did not make the nomination list for this year’s Ballon d’Or. This prestigious award will instead be contested among stars from Spain’s national team and Real Madrid, the UEFA Champions League winners, with Real Madrid’s forward Vinicius Junior being a notable frontrunner.
According to reports from AFP, Messi, who received his eighth Ballon d’Or last year, has had an impressive career at 37 years old. He successfully captained Argentina to reclaim the Copa America title in July, yet he was omitted from the list of 30 nominees this year.
Now playing for Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer (MLS), Messi was also absent from the nominees when Karim Benzema won the Ballon d’Or in 2022. However, after leading Argentina to a World Cup title in Qatar, Messi was honored with the award last year.
The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious individual accolade in football, determined by a panel of journalists from the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations.
Among the leading candidates this year is Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, one of six players nominated from Real Madrid, who triumphed in both La Liga and the Champions League last season.
Other strong contenders include Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, Antonio Rudiger, and Fede Valverde, along with Kylian Mbappe, who recently transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid.
Also included in the nomination list are Manchester City’s Norwegian star Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, representing both England and Bayern Munich. Notably absent, however, is five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who is now 39 years old.
