Who should win the 2024 Ballon d’Or? Our top contenders

The Ballon d’Or is football’s greatest individual honour, awarded to the talent deemed football’s finest.

Sure, politics play their part in the annual vote and just a handful of clubs have celebrated Ballon d’Or winners since the turn of the century, but it’s widely recognised as the ultimate award.

This season’s vote appears to be an open one and we’ve look at five contenders we believe should be in contention for the prize.

Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

Carlo Ancelotti has called Vinicius Junior the world’s finest footballer and the Brazilian certainly enhanced his reputation as an elite difference-maker in 2023-24. Vinicius came alive in the Champions League’s latter stages as Real Madrid were crowned European champions for a record-extending 15th time.

No player has been involved in more Champions League goals than Vinicius across the last three seasons, with the 24-year-old netting twice in the semi-final win over Bayern Munich and the second in the 2-0 final success against Borussia Dortmund. That latter goal saw Vinicius become the youngest-ever player to have scored in two Champions League finals, surpassing Lionel Messi.

Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Jude Bellingham appeared in the driving seat to take the Ballon d’Or before this summer, following a standout season in Real Madrid colours. The Spanish side pride themselves on their long list of players to have claimed the prize and Bellingham appeared the favourite.

The 21-year-old scored 23 goals in all competitions as Real Madrid lifted La Liga and the Champions League, earning the Player of the Season award in Spain’s top division. Late winners in each El Clasico enhanced his reputation among the Madridistas, though teammate Vinicius was more impactful in Europe.

Bellingham reached the Euro 2024 final with England in the summer but despite highlight-reel moments against Serbia and Slovakia, failed to perform with the same all encompassing drive that defined his club season.

This year might come too soon for Bellingham but he has a real chance of becoming just the fifth Englishman to win the award.

Rodri (Manchester City)

Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans Rodri wins.

That might not be completely accurate but the Spain midfielder does have an argument as football’s most influential player.

Rodri has not lost a game for club or country inside 90 minutes for over a year, while he has won double the number of trophies (8) than games he has lost (4) since the start of 2023.

The 28-year-old helped Manchester City to a record-breaking fourth Premier League title in a row in 2023-24, before becoming the fulcrum of Spain’s success at Euro 2024. His Player of the Tournament award at the European Championship came, perhaps contentiously, ahead of teammates Fabian Ruiz and Lamine Yamal, but was acknowledgement of his role in La Roja’s triumph.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente and captain Alvaro Morata have banged the drum for Rodri to receive the Ballon d’Or.

Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

You have to scroll significantly (and surprisingly) far down the list of favourites for the Ballon d’Or to find the name of Florian Wirtz – and we’re not having it.

Bayer Leverkusen’s title success in the Bundesliga was arguably the story of the European season, as the German side won a maiden crown without losing a single game. Xabi Alonso’s men added the DFB-Pokal to complete an Invincible domestic double, with a loss in the Europa League final all that prevented unbeaten treble success.

Wirtz was the heartbeat of Leverkusen’s unforgettable season and deservedly claimed the Bundesliga’s Player of the Season award. He scored 18 goals and provided 20 assists in all competitions, before scoring twice at Euro 2024 as Germany reached the last eight.

There’s a super-club bias when it comes to the Ballon d’Or that will perhaps prevent Wirtz from featuring higher in the vote.

Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)

Another member of the should-be-considered-but-probably-won’t-be group, Lautaro Martinez’s season could hardly have gone better.

After five goal-laden seasons at Inter Milan he kicked on to a new level in 2023-24, scoring 24 times to win the Capocannoniere award as Serie A’s leading scorer in the club’s title success. After captaining Inter to the Scudetto, he fired Argentina to continental success as the world champions defended their Copa America crown.

Martinez scored five goals at the tournament to win the Golden Boot, including the extra-time winner off the bench against Colombia in the final. His five goals came from just 222 minutes of action to underline his status as one of world football’s finest finishers.

Read – Ranking the five favourites to win the Ballon d’Or

See more – Seven Premier League transfers you might have missed this summer

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