Barcelona’s Spansih midfielder Aitana Bonmati (L) and Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri pose with their Ballon d’Or award during the 2024 Ballon d’Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
A new generation of stars lined up as contenders for the Ballon d'Or after two names dominated world soccer's most prestigious award for well over a decade.
Without Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the running, this year's men's award went to Spanish midfielders Rodri at an evening ceremony in Paris. Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won the women's award.
Messi (8) and Ronaldo (5) won the men's award a combined 13 times over a 16-year period. They were not nominated this year.
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The only other winners since 2008, when Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or, were Luka Modric in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the award for a first time after helping the English club win the Premier League. The 28-year-old keyed Spain’s European Championship victory.
Other contenders included Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal.
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior appeared to be among favorites after Messi won the award for a record eighth time last year. Vinicius Junior helped Madrid to its 15th European Cup last season, but did not attend the ceremony.
Four Team USA members were part of the shortlist for the women's Ballon d'Or: Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Lindsey Horan and Alyssa Naeher.
A USWNT player hasn't won the award since Megan Rapinoe in 2019. Diamond Bar's Alex Morgan finished third that year.
Olympic star Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France/PSG), 2023 winner Bonmati (Spain/Barcelona) and Olympic silver medalist Gabi Portilho of Brazil, were among the favorites. The 26-year-old Bonmatí helped Barcelona win the Spanish league, the Spanish cup and the Champions League.
The Ballon d’Or was created by France Football magazine and has been awarded since 1956. It is voted for by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings.
