Awarded annually, the Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious accolade in the world of football. Since its inception in 1956, France Football has hosted the ceremony, and the prize itself has celebrated the greatest footballing talents, recognising the player deemed to have performed the best over the previous year. Winning the Ballon d’Or cements a player’s legacy and elevates their status among the game’s legends. As the 2024 award approaches and is set to take place in October, the anticipation is beginning to build to see who will claim the coveted prize.
How the Ballon d’Or is Voted
The Ballon d’Or is awarded based on votes from international journalists, national team coaches, and captains. France Football releases a shortlist of 30 players, from which voters select their top five candidates. Votes are distributed with 6 points for 1st place, 4 points for 2nd, 3 points for 3rd, 2 points for 4th, and 1 point for 5th. The player with the most points emerges as the winner. If a tie were to occur, the number of first-place votes would be considered, followed by second-place votes if necessary.
Voters evaluate players based on individual and team performances over the season, player talent and sportsmanship, and overall career achievements, with current-year performance carrying the most weight.
Lead Contenders for the 2024 Award
The 2024 Ballon d’Or award is set to be based on the 2023/24 season while considering performances from any international tournaments. It will mark the third year of the new voting period, as before 2022, it was judged on the previous calendar year.
Over the past decade, several players have shone brightly, contributing significantly to their clubs’ and national teams’ successes. Notably, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, and Lionel Messi have been the only four winners in that time of the Ballon d’Or. Messi, with a record-breaking eight Ballon d’Ors, is the current reigning holder; however, it’s highly unlikely that he will retain the title in the 2024 ceremony.
Here’s an overview of the potential top five players with the greatest chance of claiming the Ballon d’Or:
Phil Foden
Foden has had the season of his career with Manchester City. Not only was he an instrumental part in Pep Guardiola’s side winning the UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup, and the Premier League, but he also claimed the Premier League Player of the Year trophy. He bagged 28 goals while providing 12 assists from an attacking midfield role throughout the season, and he stepped up in spectacular fashion when the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland were missing due to injury.
England’s opening two fixtures at the European Championships haven’t been inspiring, to say the least; however, if Foden can come to life and show his quality to impact the final group stage game and potentially the knockout stages, he may well be on his way to picking up his first Ballon d’Or.
Kylian Mbappé
The Frenchman has recently ended a chapter in his career to open another exciting one. Before Euro 2024 kicked off, he completed a permanent transfer to Real Madrid, leaving Paris Saint-Germain after seven years. During the 2023/24 campaign, Mbappé performed at his optimum, scoring 50 goals in all competitions and providing 17 assists. He helped PSG to win the Ligue 1 title, Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions.
Despite being unable to live his dream of bringing European triumph to Parc des Princes as the final opportunity saw his PSG side lose out to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals, he could still be the catalyst in France’s hopes to return to the nation with the Euro 2024 title. Should that be the case and Mbappe gets in on the act of scoring, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the 25-year-old be awarded his first Ballon d’Or.
Toni Kroos
Now, the legendary German midfielder Toni Kroos isn’t profiled similarly to other mentions in this article. Still, he has tremendously influenced his Real Madrid side for many years. He only managed to score one goal last season but registered 12 assists and guided Carlo Ancelotti’s side to La Liga, Supercopa de Espana and Champions League triumph.
Kroos made a shocking decision to retire from football towards the end of the season, but he still has one more important role in Germany’s Euro 2024 squad. It would be a magical ending to a magnificent career if Kroos could help Germany win Euro 2024 and earn himself the Ballon d’Or.
Jude Bellingham
Bellingham’s debut season in Spain has been remarkable. Not only did he score frequently with 25 goals to his name, but he also assisted on 16 occasions, too. Like Kroos, Bellingham enjoyed a trophy-laden season; he got his hands on a first Champions League trophy alongside the La Liga title and Supercopa de Espana.
Currently on international duty with England, Bellingham carried his ferocious form into Gareth Southgate’s squad in the first game of Euro 2024, where his instinctual header earned three points in group-stage action against Serbia. Bellingham doesn’t turn 21 until June 29th; if he wasn’t to be presented this year’s Ballon d’Or, he has plenty of time to claim the award in future years.
Vinícius Júnior
Joining Kroos and Bellingham from Madrid is none other than Vinícius Júnior. The Brazilian starred in pivotal fixtures for his club; standouts to mention are the hat-trick he netted to help beat Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup as well as scoring the second goal against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final.
On the back of scoring 24 goals and registering 11 assists in all competitions during 2023/24, he is set to be Brazil’s talisman at the Copa America following Neymar’s season-ending knee injury. Should he propel Brazil to victory this summer, Vinicius could be set up to finish 2024 with the ultimate personal achievement.
What Else is Presented at the Ceremony?
While the Ballon d’Or is the centerpiece, the ceremony also features a selection of other significant accolades. These awards recognise elite performances in various categories, including the best women’s player, the best player aged under-21, and the best goalkeeper. Here’s a list of these awards and the current holders:
Ballon d’Or Féminin
First awarded in 2018, this accolade is presented to the best-performing women’s player in the world. Last year, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí was the recipient.
Kopa Trophy
Also, it was first awarded and created as a category in 2018, and this trophy is presented to the best performing under-21 player worldwide. Jude Bellingham was the recipient in 2023.
Yashin Trophy
Named after former Soviet Union goalkeeper Lev Yashin, this trophy held its inaugural presentation in 2019 to recognise the best goalkeeper in the world. Aston Villa shot-stopper and World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez won last year’s award.
Gerd Müller Trophy
This trophy was first presented in 2021 and named after German striker Gerd Müller, who died in August of that year. Erling Haaland won acclaim as the best striker in 2023.
Sócrates Award
This award is presented for the best humanitarian work done by a footballer named after the late Brazilian footballer who co-founded the Corinthians Democracy movement in opposition to the ruling military dictatorship in Brazil in the 1980s. Vinicius Junior won the award in 2023.
Ballon d’Or and Betting
Not only does the Ballon d’Or captivate fans worldwide, but it also attracts significant attention from the betting community. The most common bet is usually placed on the accolade’s outright winner, seeing bookmakers set odds for each candidate based on their perceived chances. Some betting platforms allow you to bet on a player finishing in the top three; an each way bet calculator could help bettors in this circumstance to place a stake on the win for an individual while placing a stake for a place bet on the player to be ranked either second or third. Occasionally, there also may be special bets on specific outcomes, like a particular player receiving a certain number of votes or a player from a specific league winning.
Summary
The Ballon d’Or is the pinnacle of individual achievements in football, celebrating the world’s best talents. As the 2024 award approaches, anticipation builds around standout performers like Phil Foden, Kylian Mbappé, Toni Kroos, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Júnior, each having made significant contributions to their teams’ successes this season. The award not only recognises their excellence on the field but also cements their status among football legends. With the excitement growing, fans eagerly await to see who will claim the prestigious prize, making this year’s contest one of the most thrilling in recent memory.
