Stars who missed out on Ballon d'Or rankings

With the Ballon d’Or list of 2024 officially being released, it caused quite a debate on the internet over the decision to leave out some of the top players who consistently delivered for both their club and country. The internet has reacted strongly after the exclusion of some of the players who deserved a top 30 in the rankings. Some of these players include:

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Mohamed Salah is the best right winger in the world today, the only player coming near him being Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, who was included in the 30 man shortlist. In the 2023/2024 season, Salah contributed 25 goals and 14 assists in all competitions. Despite Liverpool missing out on major silverware, his individual brilliance is undeniable. It appeared that his team’s underwhelming overall performance was a major reason that kept him out of the list. 

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Virgil Van Dijk, who is often hailed as one of the best defenders of this generation also missed out on the Ballon d’Or shortlist. Van Dijk also had a superb season individually for his country and club despite not securing any silverware for either. Like Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk’s omission is mainly due to Liverpool’s struggles in European competitions. 

Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)

Among other names, one of the most surprising snubs was of the Argentine forward Julian Alvarez. The forward had a pivotal role in Argentina’s Copa America title and Manchester City’s Premier League campaign. Alvarez provided 19 goals and 13 assists in the 2023/24 season in all competitions for both club and country. Having finished in the top 10 last year in the Ballon d’Or rankings, the forward was left out this year.

Rodrygo (Real Madrid)

The most shocking name exclusion would be Real Madrid’s Rodrygo. The Brazilian helped his club clutch the UEFA Champions League in addition to the La Liga title. The forward contributed 17 goals and 9 assists in all competitions and yet he fell short to be included in the top 30. It has been said that he might have been omitted because of his underwhelming season with his national team but there is still no reason to snub him after securing two major trophies for his club. 

Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

Jamal Musiala, who is considered to be one of the most promising young talents in football, was also excluded from the 30-man list. The German midfielder was monumental last season for both Tuchel’s Bayern and Nagelsmann's Germany in the Euros. He contributed 12 goals and 8 assists for both his country and club in the last season. Having been praised worldwide for his technical ability and creativity, unfortunately he also had to see himself out of the list this year. 

Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP)

Viktor Gyökeres had a season to remember for Sporting CP and the Swedish national team, and emerged as one of the most prolific strikers in Europe. The Swede recorded 43 goals and 15 assists in all competitions last season. Despite these superb numbers, he was still left out of the shortlist, which could likely be due to the lack of recognition at the top level compared to other players.