One Real Madrid star has been left ‘upset’ after being overlooked for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award.
Last week, France Football revealed the final 30 nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, and notable absentees include holder and eight-time winner Lionel Messi and his longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo. This marks the first time since 2003 that neither Messi nor Ronaldo has been nominated.
Among the nominees are heavy favorites Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Kylian Mbappe. However, Liverpool players Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk did not make the cut.
Real Madrid and Brazil’s Rodrygo was also overlooked, despite his impressive season with 10 goals and 5 assists in 34 La Liga appearances. However, his teammates Federico Valverde, Toni Kroos (now retired), Antonio Rudiger, and Dani Carvajal were all included.
Rodrygo expressed his disappointment in a recent ESPN interview: “I was upset; I believe I deserved a spot. I don’t mean to undermine the players who were nominated, but I felt I had a place in the final 30. It was a surprise… But there’s not much I can do; I’m not the one who makes these decisions.”
He also mentioned making a somewhat sarcastic post about the omission and noted the support he has received from both the national team and Real Madrid.
On Saturday, Rodrygo scored the decisive goal in Brazil’s World Cup qualifier win against Ecuador. After the game, he commented, “I’ve scored a few goals for Brazil and I want to score many more. I know my potential and how far I can go. I’m still at the beginning of my career, and with the support of my teammates, I hope to score many more.”
The winner of the 2024 Ballon d’Or will be revealed at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on October 28.Rodrygo, a star forward for Real Madrid and Brazil, has expressed his disappointment after being overlooked for the 2024 Ballon d’Or nominations. Despite having a strong season, with 10 goals and 5 assists in 34 La Liga appearances, Rodrygo was not included in the list of 30 nominees announced by France Football. This is especially notable given that some of his Real Madrid teammates, such as Federico Valverde, Toni Kroos (who has since retired), Antonio Rudiger, and Dani Carvajal, were nominated.
Rodrygo shared his feelings about the omission in an interview with ESPN, stating, “I was upset; I believe I deserved a spot.” He emphasized that while he respects the players who were chosen, he was surprised not to see his name on the list. Rodrygo also mentioned making a sarcastic social media post about the situation and highlighted the support he has received from his national team and Real Madrid.
The announcement of the 2024 Ballon d’Or nominees marks a significant shift in football history, as it is the first time since 2003 that neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo has been nominated. Among the favorites for this year’s award are Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, as well as PSG’s Kylian Mbappe. However, other high-profile players, such as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk from Liverpool, were also absent from the list.
Despite the snub, Rodrygo continues to perform well on the international stage. He scored the winning goal in Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Ecuador, further proving his worth and potential as a top player. Rodrygo remains optimistic about his future, stating that he is still early in his career and aims to achieve much more with the support of his teammates.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner will be announced at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on October 28.
