Cristiano Ronaldo spent two decades at and around the summit of world football but all good things must come to an end.
For the second time in as many years, the Al Nassr superstar has missed out on a place on the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist.
Ronaldo’s great rival Lionel Messi is also absent, meaning it is the first time since 2003 that neither has been in the running for world football’s most coveted individual prize.
Both era-defining stars loomed as improbably large figures over their generation, with Ronaldo winning five Ballons d’Or and Messi collecting his eighth last year.
MORE: All the latest soccer action | Cristiano Ronaldo news
In between Ronaldo’s first win in 2008 and what now looks sure to be Messi’s last in 2023, Luka Modric (2018) and Karim Benzema (2022) are the only other players to have lifted the prize.
Ronaldo plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League is probably part of the reason for him leaving the top table. Despite other big names such as Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Sadio Mane joining him on the Arabian Peninsula, no player from the Saudi Pro League has earned a nomination in 2024.
Portugal bowed out in the last-16 on Euro 2024 as Ronaldo endured a frustrating tournament. Save for a march to glory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it is hard to envisage either CR7 or Messi returning to the Ballon d’Or podium they made their own.
Ballon d'Or nominees 2024
| Player | Club | National team |
| Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid | England |
| Ruben Dias | Manchester City | Portugal |
| Phil Foden | Manchester City | England |
| Federico Valverde | Real Madrid | Uruguay |
| Emiliano Martinez | Aston Villa | Argentina |
| Erling Haaland | Manchester City | Norway |
| Nico Williams | Athletic Club | Spain |
| Granit Xhaka | Bayer Leverkusen | Switzerland |
| Artem Dovbyk | Roma* | Ukraine |
| Toni Kroos | Real Madrid** | Germany |
| Vinicius Junior | Real Madrid | Brazil |
| Dani Olmo | Barcelona*** | Spain |
| Florian Wirtz | Bayer Leverkusen | Germany |
| Martin Odegaard | Arsenal | Norway |
| Mats Hummels | Borussia Dortmund**** | Germany |
| Rodri | Manchester City | Spain |
| Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | England |
| Declan Rice | Arsenal | England |
| Vitinha | PSG | Portugal |
| Cole Palmer | Chelsea | England |
| Dani Carvajal | Real Madrid | Spain |
| Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | Spain |
| Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | England |
| Hakan Calhanoglu | Inter Milan | Turkey |
| William Saliba | Arsenal | France |
| Kylian Mbappe | Real Madrid***** | France |
| Lautaro Martinez | Inter Milan | Argentina |
| Ademola Lookman | Atalanta | Nigeria |
| Antonio Rudiger | Real Madrid | Germany |
| Alejandro Grimaldo | Bayer Leverkusen | Spain |
*Transferred from Girona in August 2024
**Retired from football in July 2024
***Transferred from RB Leipzig in August 2024
****Became a free agent after leaving Dortmund in June 2024
*****Transferred to Real Madrid after leaving PSG in July 2024