Ballon d'Or 2024: Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden among first set of 5 nominees for prestigious award
France Football have announced the first set of nominees for the 2024 Men's Ballon d'Or. The list includes Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid) and Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa). The 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony is set to be held on October 28, 2024, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
The first five names on the list of the 30 nominations for the men's category to win the Ballon d'Or include some of the best performers in football last season. Among them, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden specifically recorded incredible individual numbers and are highly expected to rank among the top 10 for the award.
Jude Bellingham had an incredible debut season with Real Madrid in the 2023-24 season, winning the UEFA Champions League, La Liga and Supercopa de Espana. The Englishman was key to the Spanish giant's success, with 23 goals and 13 assists in 42 appearances across competitions. He also led England to the Euro 2024 final but lost 2-1 to Spain.
Phil Foden was also a part of England's squad, contributing to their road to the Euro 2024 final. Foden also won the Premier League title with Manchester City this season, with 27 goals and 12 assists in 53 overall appearances.
Fede Valverde contributed to Real Madrid's successful season. Meanwhile, Ruben Dias was one of the best-performing defenders in the Premier League for Man City. Finally, Emiliano Martinez led Aston Villa to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 1983 and was key to Argentina's 2024 Copa America triumph
Ballon d'Or 2024: Who won the prestigious award in the last edition?
In the 2023 edition, Lionel Messi won his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or award for leading Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Messi's World Cup campaign is widely considered one of the best in the tournament's history. The Argentine won the Golden Ball for being the best player in the tournament. He scored seven goals and provided three assists in seven games.
In the women's category, Aitana Bonmati took home the prestigious award. She won the continental treble with Barcelona alongside the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup with Spain. Bonmati won the Golden Ball in the World Cup for being the best player in the competition.
It remains to be seen who wins the prestigious award this season. Vinicius Jr, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, and Lautaro Martinez are among some of the most anticipated winners.