Messi and Ronaldo miss Ballon d’Or shortlist again as new era takes shape
PARIS – For the second year running, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both been left off the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or, signalling a clear shift in football’s biggest individual prize.
The pair have defined the award for two decades, lifting it a combined 13 times since Ronaldo first appeared on the list in 2003. Between them they dominated from 2008 to 2017, with Messi adding three more crowns in 2019, 2021 and 2023, the last of those coming off the back of Argentina’s World Cup triumph.
This year’s nominees, however, reflect a generational handover. No player from outside Europe’s top five leagues made the cut, meaning Messi’s exploits in Major League Soccer and Ronaldo’s goals in the Saudi Pro League were overlooked.
Both still posted eye-catching numbers – Messi with 30 goals and 13 assists for Inter Miami, Ronaldo with 35 goals for Al Nassr and three more for Portugal in their Nations League title run. But the level of competition and exposure in their leagues worked against them, with Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres the only player recognised for performances outside the traditional elite after his spell at Sporting Lisbon.
Messi, 38, and Ronaldo, 40, remain icons but their absence from the ballot two years in a row underlines football’s changing of the guard. Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland are among the frontrunners for the 2025 award.
Still, few are ruling out a final twist. A deep run at the 2026 World Cup by either Argentina or Portugal could yet put Messi or Ronaldo back in the conversation for the 70th Ballon d’Or – one last chance to add to their staggering legacy.