(Image credit: FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
The Ballon d’Or 2024 power ranking makes for intriguing reading, with Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland the favourites for the gong.
Yes, we know that the 2023 award has only just been handed out – but at France Football, attention is turning to the next 12 months of football. The Champions League will likely have a big say in who gets the BDO, as will international tournaments next summer in the form of the Euros and Copa America.
So will Bellingham join Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen to become just the fifth England player to be granted a Golden Ball?
Ballon d’Or 2024 power rankinng: the bookies’ odds for the award
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1. Jude Bellingham (7/2)
Jude Bellingham has been electric for Real Madrid (Image credit: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
No Englishman has won this trophy since Michael Owen back at the turn of the century – but Jude Bellingham might just have the best shot to do so.
The Stourbridge schemer has been in electric form for Real Madrid, chipping in with stoppage time winners – including in the Clasico – while establishing himself as England’s best player, too. With Los Blancos one of the favourites for the Champions League and England heading into the Euros as one of the strongest sides, it might be Jude’s prize should the stars align.
2. Kylian Mbappe (4/1)
Kylian Mbappe finished third in the 2023 Ballon d’Or (Image credit: ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images)
Third in the BDO to Messi and Haaland, watching on with a face like thunder, Kylian Mbappe is one of the names tipped for glory in 2024 – and it might all hinge on international success.
The Ballon d’Or is about a nice story as much as it is being the best player around. Just as Messi rose from defeat at previous World Cups to lift the trophy in 2022, Mbappe heads into Euro 2024 knowing that it was his missed penalty three years prior that sent his country home. Redemption is a strong drug to these voters: if France triumph, there’ll likely only be one name in the running for this award.
3. Erling Haaland (6/1)
Manchester City star Erling Haaland won a Treble in 2023 (Image credit: Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Second in the vote after a Treble-winning campaign, Erling Haaland was awarded the Gerd Muller Trophy – also known as the “Here, have this, sit down and be grateful” award that France Football palmed Robert Lewandowski off with after his own formidable campaign was seen as second to Messi.
With Messi now in the US and no World Cup to skew things for a Norwegian, surely next year’s gong should go to Haaland? It’ll depend on how Manchester City fare in Europe, of course: Norway don’t look like winning the Euros, unfortunately.
4. Lionel Messi (11/1)
Lionel Messi has eight Ballons d’Or (Image credit: Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
“I don’t know how much longer I’ll be going… but I plan to enjoy it,” Messi said upon picking up an eighth Golden Ball at the 2023 ceremony. Who’d put it past him lifting a ninth?
OK – so he’s now in the MLS, but that doesn’t exclude him totally, with a Copa America next summer to compete for. If Argentina win that, the Flea is back in contention for yet another award. For his past three BDOs, we’ve assumed it’ll be Messi’s last – maybe we’ll be doing the same again in autumn 2024.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo (12/1)
Cristiano Ronaldo may have one more Ballon d’Or in him (Image credit: David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
2023 was Messi’s ‘legacy award’. Was he the best player in the world at that exact moment? No: he probably was the worst of the top four – he wasn’t even nominated the previous year. But after 12 months in which he won the World Cup, plenty of voters swayed towards him for what he’d achieved in the sport overall.
2024 could see the same happen for Cristiano Ronaldo. Picture it: with Portugal looking invincible in Euros qualifying, there’s a very real possibility that they go and win the trophy under Roberto Martinez, with CR7 front and obvious centre, after his own omission from the 2023 longlist. And with an unbelievable goal record in Saudi Arabian football, too, there’s an easy case to make for him getting a sixth gong. We thought we were out of the duopoly era but perhaps not, after all.
More Ballon d’Or stories
FFT editor James Andrew has argued why Erling Haaland should have won the 2023 award, while deputy editor Matthew Ketchell has laid out why Messi is more deserving.
Pep Guardiola has weighed in on the debate – meanwhile, these are the biggest robberies in Ballon d’Or history.
This is how the Ballon d’Or 2023 ceremony unfolded as it happened.
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Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn’t receive a winners’ medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson’s season at Barcelona to Robinho’s career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and the second on Martin Odegaard and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
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