Ranking the top five favourites to win Ballon d’Or 2024

Lionel Messi won the award in 2023

As the end of the current season is nearing, there has been a lot of chatter around in the footballing world regarding the potential favourites for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. After a long time, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo are expected to be on the list of nominees, with the potential nominees’ list brimming with young talent.

Thus, here are the favourites for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, as of May 2024:

5. Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Florian Wirtz has produced a season that is seldom seen across top European competitions. The 21-year-old has 19 goals and 21 assists in all competitions from attacking midfield this season, and has flourished under Xabi Alonso.

The German side are also unbeaten this season, and on course to win the treble, having already won the Bundesliga and reaching the finals of the DFB Pokal and Europa League. If Wirtz can win the treble with Leverkusen and remain the Invincibles, who knows what can happen in the voting?

4. Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Kylian Mbappe has had an unreal season with his goal output, having scored 49 times and providing 17 assists for PSG this season. He has also won the Ligue 1 and the Trophee des Champions. However, playing in the French league against weaker opposition would inevitably reduce his chances of winning the award.

However, with the Euros coming up in the summer, if Mbappe manages to win it with France, it might swing the odds of winning the Golden Ball in his favour in what could be his final season in Paris.

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3. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Just like Mbappe, Harry Kane also has had an incredible season stat wise, with 48 goals and 13 assists to his name. The Englishman has seemingly replaced Robert Lewandowski with absolute ease, which is an admirable feat. Kane is also set to win the Bundesliga top scorers’ race.

However, Bayern Munich’s first trophyless season in 13 years has coincided with the Englishman’s arrival in Munich, which will definitely put him in the backfoot in the Ballon d’Or race. Potentially winning the Euros with England might be the only way that the odds will swing in his favour.

2. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Jude Bellingham has arguably been the best midfielder in Europe this season. The Englishman has delivered a season to remember in his first season at Real Madrid, with 24 goals and 13 assists for the Los Blancos this season. He has also won the LaLiga and the Supercopa de Espana, also being the second-highest goalscorer in the league.

While he has slowed down a bit in the second half of the season, his start to the season was nothing short of iconic, and a Euros win in the summer might just tip the odds in his favour. 

1. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

Vinicius Jr has sparkled for Real Madrid this season, finally taking the number 7 shirt of Ronaldo and finally doing justice to it. The Brazillian has not only been tricky on the wing, but also backed that up with output, with 21 goals and 11 assists to his name. He has also been a big game player, with a hattrick in the Supercopa de Espana final win over Barcelona, making it 4 goals in 2 El Classicos this season.

He has also won trophies, with the LaLiga and the Spanish Cup in his kitty already, with a Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund beckoning. Regardless of that, the Brazillian is looking like a hard candidate to beat in the Ballon d’Or race.

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