Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both missing from this year’s Ballon d’Or shortlist. Combine that with a number of other big names dropping out and we are assured of a first winner in the men’s prize.

The winners of the Ballon d’Or will be announced on October 28 at the Theater du Chatelet in Paris. It starts at 3:00 PM Eastern Time and 7:00 PM GMT.

But how are the illustrious prizes determined and who will be on the shortlists this year?

What is the Ballon d’Or?

The award, which France Football magazine has been presenting since 1956 (2018 for women), sparks debate in hairdressers and online and is intended to name the best footballers in the world for that year. This year, for the first time, UEFA, European football’s governing body, will help organize the award.

FIFA and France Football collaborated on the award from 2010 to 2015, but FIFA created its own trophy, The Best, eight years ago.

Messi leads the way with eight Ballon d’Or wins between 2009 and 2023. Ronaldo has five. The pair have dominated the men’s award in recent history, but for the first time in 21 years neither has been nominated.

Messi with the Ballon d’Or (Chris Arjoon/AFP via Getty Images)

In the women’s category, the Spaniards have won the last three prizes; Alexia Putellas has two and Aitana Bonmati was the most recent winner.

The popularity of the award in the wider culture has even led to the release of an Afrobeats song named after it: B. D’OR by Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy (a Manchester United fan).

Who decides the winners of the Ballon d’Or?

The Ballon d’Or is decided by 100 journalists, one from each of FIFA’s 100 highest-ranked member states (top 50 for the women’s award). Each journalist makes their top 10 from the shortlist of 30 players and there are different point values ​​for each journalist.

First: 15 points
Second: 12 points
Third: 10 points
Fourth: Eight points
Fifth: Seven points
Sixth: Five points
Seventh: Four points
Eighth: Three points
Ninth: Two points
Tenth: One point

If you earn the most points, you win the Ballon d’Or. In the unlikely event of a tie, the winner will be determined by first place voting.

Paul Kennedy was the American journalist who voted in 2023 and Henry Winter took over the English vote.

Voting is subjective, meaning results vary, with some journalists making headlines for their left-field choices. Sri Lankan journalist Hafiz Marikar named Leonardo Bonucci the world’s best player in 2017, Eden Hazard in 2018 and Trent Alexander-Arnold in 2019. This was before the 2022 Ballon d’Or ruling changed to only votes from the top 100 from FIFA. nations. Previously, votes came from all countries recognized by FIFA; Sri Lanka is currently ranked 200th.

A reminder of who’s on this year’s Ballon d’Or shortlists…

Gentlemen

Ademola Lookman-Atalanta
Alejandro Grimaldo – Bayer Leverkusen
Antonio Rudiger – Real Madrid
Artem Dovbyk – Roma
Bukayo Saka Arsenal
Cole Palmer – Chelsea
Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid
Dani Olmo – Barcelona
Declan Rice-Arsenal
Emiliano Martínez – Aston Villa
Erling Haaland-Manchester City
Federico Valverde – Real Madrid
Florian Wirtz – Bayer Leverkusen
Granit Xhaka – Bayer Leverkusen
Hakan Calhanoglu – Inter Milan
Harry Kane – Bayern Munich
Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé – Real Madrid
Lamine Yamal – Barcelona
Lautaro Martínez – Inter Milan
Martin Odegaard – Arsenal
Mats Hummels – Borussia Dortmund
Nico Williams – Athletic Bilbao
Phil Foden – Manchester City
Rodri-Manchester City
Ruben Dias – Manchester City
Toni Kroos – Real Madrid
Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid
Vitinha – Paris Saint Germain
William Saliba-Arsenal

Bellingham shortlisted for Ballon d’Or (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Women

Ada Hegerberg – Lyon
Aitana Bonmati – Barcelona
Alexia Putellas – Barcelona
Alyssa Naeher – Chicago Red Stars
Barbara Banda – Orlando Pride
Caroline Graham Hansen – Barcelona
Ewa Pajor – Barcelona
Gabi Portilho – Corinthians
Giulia Gwinn – Bayern Munich
Glodis Viggosdottir – Bayern Munich
Grace Geyoro – Paris Saint Germain
Khadija Shaw – Manchester City
Lauren Hemp – Manchester City
Lauren James – Chelsea
Lea Schuller – Bayern Munich
Lindsey Horan-Lyon
Lucy Bronze – Chelsea
Mallory Swanson – Chicago Red Stars
Manuela Giugliano – Roma
Marie Antoinette Katoto – Paris Saint Germain
Mariona Caldentey-Arsenal
Mayra Ramirez – Chelsea
Patricia Guijarro – Barcelona
Salma Paralluelo – Barcelona
Sjoeke Nusken – Chelsea
Sophia Smith – Portland Thorns
Tabitha Chawinga – Lyon
Tarciane – Houston Dash
Trinity Rodman – Washington spirit
Yui Hasegawa – Manchester City

Why isn’t Messi on the shortlist?

Last year, Messi became the first MLS player to win the Ballon d’Or after leading Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022.

He has enjoyed more international success this year, leading Argentina to the Copa America title in July, and featured in a record-breaking regular season for Inter Miami, but failed to make the top 30 shortlist.

There are several reasons for this. First, the people who compiled the men’s shortlist – the editors of France Football and the French sports newspaper L’Equipe, last year’s “best jury” (Costa Rica for the men’s prize) and a UEFA ambassador (Luis Figo) – believed that other players performed better. than the former Barcelona star.

Messi’s stats aren’t too bad for the period in question – August 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024 – but an injury limited his playing time significantly. During that 12-month spell, Messi scored 22 goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions for Inter Miami and helped his team win the 2024 Supporters’ Shield.

But the quality of MLS is widely regarded as inferior to Europe’s biggest leagues, which is said to have played a major role in Messi’s exit (37). Simply put, others have played more and performed better in tougher competitions.

Messi’s performance at the World Cup in Qatar secured his eighth Ballon d’Or, but he did not repeat that form at this year’s Copa America. He provided just two goals (a goal and an assist) before being substituted in the 66th minute of the final due to injury. Messi was named Copa America’s player of the tournament in 2021 as Argentina won the tournament for the first time in 28 years, but this year the award went to Colombian James Rodriguez, who is also not on the shortlist.

Is there anything else we should know?

Top tip: If you want to win a Ballon d’Or, don’t be a goalkeeper. In its 67-year history, only one goalkeeper, Lev Yashin, has won the match. Since 2019, they have their own award: France Football has established the Yashin Trophy for the best performing goalkeeper in addition to the Ballon d’Or. The holder is Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa.

Other prizes on offer during the evening include:

Gentlemen

Kopa Trophy (best player under 21)
Gerd Muller Trophy (top scorer of the previous season)
Club of the Year trophy
Coach of the Year trophy

Women

Coach of the Year

(Top photo: Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)