Cristiano Ronaldo has not been nominated for the Ballon d’Or for the first time in the last two decades.
The nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or award in both men’s and women’s categories have been announced by France Football magazine.
In total, 30 footballers have made the men’s list. However, it is worth noting that Cristiano Ronaldo, who has five Ballon d’Or medals to his name, did not make the list. Not only that, but Brazilian superstar Neymar was left off the Ballon d’Or shortlist for the second year in a row.
Neymar recently joined Saudi club Al Hilal. Marcus Rashford, John Stones, Thibaut Courtois, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and Frenkie De Jong are among those who have been left out.
Cristiano Ronlado
Cristiano Ronaldo has not been nominated for the Ballon d’Or for the first time in the last two decades. Following an acrimonious conclusion to his second term at Manchester United, the Portuguese superstar made a stunning transfer to Saudi Arabia last season.
The former Real Madrid player earned his first trophy with Al Nassr last month, winning the Arab Club Champions Cup.
Neymar
Neymar may not have won the Champions League with PSG, but the Brazilian forward demonstrated his talent throughout his time with the Ligue 1 giants. During the 2022-23 season, Neymar led PSG to the domestic league title by scoring 18 Ligue 1 goals.
Marcus Rashford
Despite a fantastic run with Manchester United in recent months, Marcus Rashford’s name did not appear on the elite list of this year’s Ballon d’Or nominees.
Last season, the English international helped Manchester United finish in the top four of the Premier League. He was also instrumental in Manchester United’s Carabao Cup victory, scoring six goals in as many matches. Last season, Rashford appeared in 35 Premier League games for Manchester United, scoring 17 times.
Top 8 Players With Most Ballon d’Or Nominations In History
John Stones
John Stones earns a lot of credit for Manchester City’s spectacular treble-winning season in 2022-23. Pep Guardiola deployed Stones as a defensive midfielder and a full-back in addition to his regular center-back position.
Despite a hamstring injury, Stones played 34 appearances for Manchester City last season. He shown his versatility by scoring three goals and providing three assists. In addition, Stones had the highest dribble success percentage in the 2022-23 Champions League.
Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid was unquestionably the greatest goalkeeper in Spanish football last season. With Real Madrid, he won the Spanish Super Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. The Belgian international had 17 clean sheets in 49 appearances in all competitions.
