Why isn't Cristiano Ronaldo one of the nominees to win the Ballon d'Or in 2024?

The 2024 Ballon d’Or gala, set for Monday, October 28, will recognize the best players of the past season, yet it marks the absence of two legendary figures—Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo—who dominated the award scene for nearly two decades. This year’s event signifies the end of an era as younger talents take the spotlight.

From the mid-2000s, Messi and Ronaldo collected almost every prestigious football award, embodying excellence in the sport. But the torch has now passed to a new generation, with both stars absent from the 2024 nominee list. For Ronaldo, this is his second consecutive year left out of the top 30, a change that reflects his move to Saudi Arabia and the natural decline in performance due to age.

In the 2022 Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo was nominated but received no votes. His absence in 2023 and 2024 coincides with his transition to the Saudi Arabian league, where he has played 52 matches between club and national team, scoring 44 goals and delivering 14 assists. While respectable, these numbers were not enough to compete on a global scale, as the Saudi league is still considered below top-tier status.

Portugal’s recent performance in Euro 2024 also saw Ronaldo unable to make a significant impact, adding to the factors that likely contributed to his omission from this year’s award list. Ronaldo’s achievements in the Saudi league alone were insufficient to secure a place among the world’s best, highlighting a shift in the criteria France Football uses for nominations.