The Ballon d’Or, widely regarded as football’s most prestigious individual award, is set to honour its latest winners on Monday 30 October, 2024 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. This year’s award is particularly exciting, as it will feature a first-time winner, with longstanding football legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo absent from the shortlist.
The voting process has evolved in recent years. This year, the Ballon d’Or is expected to reflect the performance of players over the entire 2023-2024 season, continuing the post-2022 shift from calendar-year assessments.
How the Ballon d’Or voting process works
The Ballon d’Or winner is chosen by a panel of 100 journalists representing FIFA’s top-ranked member nations. These journalists have the task of narrowing down their choices from a 30-player shortlist for both the male and female categories. Each journalist ranks their top five players, assigning them points that directly influence the outcome of the award.
Here’s how the points system works:
- 1st place: 6 points
- 2nd place: 4 points
- 3rd place: 3 points
- 4th place: 2 points
- 5th place: 1 point
This method ensures that the player who accumulates the highest total points is named the Ballon d’Or winner. For the 2024 awards, stars from Real Madrid, such as Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, are considered top contenders for their impressive performances during the Champions League and national team tournaments, as noted by 90 Min.
Ballon d’Or 2024 contenders
The 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist highlights a fresh generation of talent. Real Madrid players are heavily represented, reflecting the team’s success in both the Champions League and international tournaments. Vinicius Junior is expected to be a strong candidate, given his contributions to Real Madrid’s Champions League victory, including a pivotal goal in the final match against Borussia Dortmund. Jude Bellingham, who was named both Real Madrid’s and La Liga’s Player of the Season, also shines as after his role in England’s Euro 2024 journey to the finals.
Manchester City’s Rodri, who contributed to City’s Premier League win and earned the title of Euro 2024’s Player of the Tournament, is also included. Other notable contenders are Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, and Phil Foden from Manchester City.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or Féminin
On the women’s side, Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona is a strong favourite to defend her title, with Barcelona team-mate Salma Paralluelo also in contention after a successful season that saw her finishing third in last year’s awards. Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg, the first-ever Ballon d’Or Féminin winner in 2018, also features among the nominees this year.
When and where to watch the 2024 Ballon d’Or awards
The 2024 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony will take place on Monday, 30 October in the Theatre du Chatelet, Paris. Football enthusiasts across Europe can tune into TNT Sports 2 and discovery+ to watch.
