MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 15: Angel Di Maria, Lionel Messi and Nicolas Otamendi of Argentina … [+] celebrate with the trophy after the team’s victory in the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Final match between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium on July 15, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
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As the 2024 Ballon d’Or winners are announced on Monday, the winner of the men’s award in 2023, Lionel Messi, was conspicuous by his absence.
It is the first time since 2005 that Messi has not been nominated, and when it comes to this award, it has been a sharp decline from winning it in 2023 on the back of a World Cup win with Argentina, to not being nominated at all.
It appears there has been a collective decision to end the Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era in which one of the pair won the Ballon d’Or every year but two between 2008 and 2023, but Messi’s omission might have been too hasty, despite him moving to a lower quality domestic league at Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
The Ballon d’Or is awarded based on three main criteria from the previous season, which was recently changed to match the schedule of the major European leagues rather than a calendar year—in this case August 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024
The three main criteria for the Ballon d’Or are:
Individual performances, decisive and impressive character
Team success, performances and achievements
Player behaviour, class and fair play
In terms of team success, performances, and achievements, the 2024 Copa America was one of the main international tournaments—along with the European Championship, Africa Cup of Nations, and Olympics—taken into account for this latest round of Ballon d’Or nominations and voting.
Argentina won the Copa America, and though Messi wasn’t the tournament’s star player he played a key role as captain and was named in the team of the tournament.
At club level, Messi has been part of the Inter Miami team that broke the regular season points record in 2024 and won the League’s Cup in 2023.
Though the Leagues Cup is only a minor trophy and some of that record-breaking Inter Miami season falls outside the period for consideration for 2024 Ballon d’Or voting, Messi’s performances during that time showed no drop in quality and certainly showed “decisive and impressive character”.
Players playing outside the top five European leagues—England, Spain, France, Italy, and Germany—do not often feature prominently among Ballon d’Or nominees.
Messi and Karim Benzema were nominated last season while at Inter Miami and Al-Ittihad respectively, but this was on the back of performances at other clubs and/or their national team prior to moving to those clubs.
Occasionally, a player from a league such as Portugal or the Netherlands will be included, as was the case with Darwin Núñez (Benfica) and Sébastien Haller (Ajax) in 2022, and several Ajax players in 2019 following their impressive 2018/19 season.
The last player to win the award based on performances while playing for a club outside these leagues was Igor Belanov in 1986 at Dynamo Kyiv, then part of the Soviet Union.
The last player nominated based on performances at a non-European club was Neymar at Brazilian club Santos in 2011 and 2012, prior to moving to Barcelona.
SANTOS, BRAZIL – DECEMBER 01: Neymar of Santos celebrates a scored goal during a match between … [+] Santos and Palmeiras as part of the Brazilian Serie A Championship 2012 at Vila Belmiro Stadium on December 01, 2012 in Santos, Brazil. (Photo by Helio Suenaga/LatinContent via Getty Images)
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This is perhaps the best comparison to make to Messi’s time in MLS, as the leagues are of a similar level.
In those Brazilian Serie A seasons at Santos that earned him Ballon d’Or nominations, Neymar scored 13 goals and made five assists in 21 appearances (1,882 minutes played) in 2011; and 14 goals and seven assists in 17 appearances (1,493 minutes played) in 2012.
In the timeframe for 2024 Ballon d’Or consideration, Messi has scored 13 goals and made 12 assists in 18 appearances (1,408 minutes played).
Neymar’s goals per 90 minutes in those two seasons was 0.62 in 2011 and 0.84 in 2012. Messi’s in the relevant timeframe was 0.83, so there are obvious similarities in the output, and Messi’s is much better than Neymar’s in 2011.
Neymar’s play at Santos and Messi’s play at Inter Miami in those periods was not just about output, though. It was about style and entertainment value, and the impact on their teams in those moments.
Highlights of Neymar at Santos beamed around the globe via YouTube and there was a sense that this teenage prodigy would eventually become one of the best players in the world, especially as he was already performing at such a high level in Brazil.
Neymar elevated the Brazilian Serie A and Santos, evoking memories of Pelé and drawing comparisons to the former Santos and Brazil great.
Messi is at the other end of his career. He has already confirmed his status as one of the best players of all time and has won the Ballon d’Or eight times. Though the circumstances are different to Neymar’s, Messi is elevating Inter Miami and MLS as Neymar did for Santos and Serie A, at least temporarily.
TOPSHOT – Inter Miami’s Spanish midfielder #05 Sergio Busquets, Uruguayan forward #09 Luis Suarez, … [+] US goalkeeper #01 Drake Callender and Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi hold the Supporters’ Shield after the Major League Soccer (MLS) football match against New England Revolution at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, October 19, 2024. (Photo by Chris Arjoon / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS ARJOON/AFP via Getty Images)
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It is the consistent remarkable quality and style combined with the statistical output and the international honour that means Messi should have been at least nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2024, even if there are other players in higher quality leagues more deserving of the final award. His performances certainly fit the criteria listed above.
As for Cristiano Ronaldo, a case could be made for him based solely on league play in Saudi Arabia—as Neymar’s was in Brazil—but his lack of an international title means the case for Messi’s inclusion is much stronger.
The era of Messi and Ronaldo winning the Ballon d’Or may be over, but that doesn’t mean Messi isn’t still playing at a level that at least deserves a nomination. His success at club and international level warranted inclusion.
Data from Transfermarkt and FBref.
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Publish date : 2024-10-28 05:00:00
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