“End of an era” – Fans in ‘tears’ as neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo make it to Ballon d’Or nominees list since 2003
Fans stated that the end is near after neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo made it to the nominee list of the Ballon d'Or since 2003.
Neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo have made it to the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist since 2003 (Via Football__Tweet)
Football in the 21st century has been headlined by one of the most fierce rivalries in the history of the sport – Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo. The two forces of nature have battled it out on the biggest stage over the years, although fans started to accept the heartbreaking reality that the time has come for them to step aside. For the first time ever since 2003, both Ronaldo and Messi have failed to make it into the final list of nominees for the Ballon d’Or.
The 2023/24 season was far from disappointing for the two superstars. Messi led Argentina to glory in the Copa America against Colombia while Ronaldo spearheaded Al-Nassr‘s attack in the Saudi Pro League. While the Argentine claimed silverware with the national team, Ronaldo ended the campaign as League’s top scorer. However, being out of Europe, neither player made a significant impact to book their spot in the final list of 30 players.
Being the two players to have won the award the most number of times (Messi 8, Ronaldo 5), it is only fitting that the Argentine won the same in his last year in Europe. Ronaldo will turn 40 next year while Messi recently touched 37.
As things stand, Messi is still out with an injury after being forced out in the Copa America final with an ankle twist. Ronaldo is still going strong for Al-Nassr, having scored in all of his last four games for the club.
Fans react to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo being left out of the Ballon d’Or nominee list
The Ballon d’Or is synonymous with Lionel Messi while Cristiano Ronaldo has always been a strong contender for the same. A fan commented that it is truly the end of an era, as age finally began catching up with the legends. Out of Europe, it is difficult to see how the two will find a spot in the Ballon d’Or conversation again in the future. However, a fan couldn’t rule out the possibility of either one of them winning it one last time in the future.
A few used the opportunity to take a dig at Messi, joking that he finally wouldn’t be able to rig the award in his favor. With Messi and Ronaldo on their way ‘out’, Real Madrid fans shared their excitement at Vinicius Jr. potentially becoming the first player to win the award in the new era. Others argued that the coming era will be contested between Lamine Yamal, Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe.
The 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or includes seven Madrid players and two Barcelona stars (Yamal and Dani Olmo). Vinicius has presented himself as the favorite to win the award while Manchester City’s main man Rodri also stands a chance of getting his hands on the same.
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Sherwin Shaju
(976 Articles Published)