Vinicius Jr vs Rodri vs Jude Bellingham: Ballon d'Or 2024 Must Crown Real Winner In Post Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi Era

The year was 2004 and AC Milan icon Andriy Shevchenko claimed his first and only Ballon d'Or award as the then 28-year-old became Pavel Nedved's successor after an unforgettable 2003-2004 season. Organised by France Football since 1956, the star-studded nominee list of the Ballon d'Or featured a young Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished ahead of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kaka, Luis Figo, David Beckham and Paolo Maldini. Manchester United's prodigal son bagged the 12th spot in his Ballon d'Or debut. Ronaldo then went on to stage an epic rivalry with Lionel Messi as the two behemoths turned the Ballon d'Or race into a near-two-way contest at their careers' peak.

Ballon d'Or arch-rivals Messi and Ronaldo lifted the Golden Ball a combined 13 times from the 2008 edition. Securing his first nomination in 2006, Messi sealed his first Ballon d'Or title in 2009 to kickstart his four-year streak of winning the Golden Ball. The record-time winner is also the reigning Ballon d'Or champion. Messi missed the cut in 2022 but the Argentine stalwart masterminded La Albiceleste's third FIFA World Cup triumph in the same year to stake claim on the Ballon d'Or trophy in 2023. A year later, neither Messi nor Ronaldo have earned the Golden Ball call-up for the first time since 2003.

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Changing of the guards is imminent in Paris as France Football and UEFA will crown the successor of Messi at the 2024 Ballon d'Or awards. Created by France Football magazine, UEFA and Groupe Amaury will co-organise the renowned Ballon d'Or 2024 on 28 October at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. First awarded to England great Stanley Matthews in 1956, legends of the beautiful game including Eusebio, Bobby Charlton,