New Delhi [India], November 30 : The nominations for the FIFA best men's player award for 2024 have been announced, featuring top football talents such as Vinicius Jr., Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Fede Valverde, and Toni Kroos.
Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati leads the nominees for the women's award, further highlighting the diverse and impressive talent in women's football.
Voting for the best players, coaches, and goalkeepers will involve an equal distribution of votes among fans, current national team captains, and media representatives. The date for the awards ceremony has not yet been announced.
Vinicius Jr. and his Real Madrid teammates, who boycotted the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris after learning that Rodri would win ahead of the Brazilian star, are now poised for another showdown. Rodri, who was instrumental in Manchester City's historic fourth consecutive Premier League title and Spain's Euro 2024 victory, where he was named the tournament's best player, is a strong favourite.
Vinicius Jr. is a significant rival for Rodri, having scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists across all competitions last season. His performance was pivotal in Real Madrid's LaLiga triumph and their Champions League final win against Borussia Dortmund, where he scored the second goal.
Real Madrid's presence is strong on the shortlist, with six players nominated, including the recently retired Toni Kroos and summer signing Kylian Mbappe. Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, last year's winner, are also among the contenders. Messi, who captained Argentina to victory at the 2024 Copa America, continues to be a formidable presence in the football world.
Notably absent from the FIFA Best Men's selection is Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently surpassed 900 career goals. Despite his record-breaking 35 goals for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League last season, Ronaldo has only made the shortlist for the best attacker.