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- Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior remain the frontrunners for the coveted 2024 Ballon d'Or award
- This is despite both failing to win the continental Euro 2024 and Copa America with their countries
- Spain beat England 2-1 to become the first country to win four European football championships on July 14
The 2024 Ballon d'Or debate is now expected to kick off in earnest following the conclusion of the 2023/2024 season.
Mikel Oyarzabal scored late for Spain to win Euro 2024 at England's expense following a highly entertaining game in Berlin.
In June, Real Madrid won a record-extending Champions League title, with its main protagonists, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, emerging as the top candidates.
The season is now pretty much over, and Legit.ng looks at how the vote to succeed Lionel Messi on October 28th could go.
2024 Ballon d'Or candidates
6. Phil Foden
Foden was the star in a history-making Manchester City side that became the first side to win four successive Premier League titles. His 19 goals and eight assists helped him win the Best Player Award.
Manchester City's early elimination from the Champions League meant that he needed a solid tournament in Germany to scale up in the rankings but that wasn't forthcoming. He finished Euro 2024 without a goal or an assist which will severely impact his chances despite England reaching the final.
5. Kylian Mbappe - PSG/France
Only Harry Kane outscored the new Real Madrid forward in European major leagues this season. However, the major talking point of his season was his inability to win the Champions League yet again with PSG.
His tournament in Germany didn't go as planned either, with a nose injury in the opening game restricting him to only two goal involvements as France crashed out in the semi-finals.
He won three trophies in his final season in Paris.
4. Rodri - Manchester City/Spain
The midfield lynchpin has emerged as the most dependable player in Pep Guardiola's side. So much so that the masterful tactician appeared out of sorts on what to do when he was banned fro three games last year.
He isn't your go-to person for goals, but when he does, it is often in crucial moments. He chipped in with 15 goals and 12 assists, and whichever way you look at it, that's impressive for a defensive midfielder.
3. Harry Kane - Bayern Munich/England
His move to Bayern Munich was expected to bring him trophies, but a dominant Bayer Leverkusen side saw the Bavarians miss out on both domestic titles.
They were also heartbreakingly eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League, leaving him only with his numerous goals - the most by anyone in Europe - to sell his case.
Like everyone else in England's squad, his outing in Germany was far from convincing, but he ended up as one of the joint top scorers. He failed to impact the final, lasting barely an hour before he was hooked off.
2. Vinicius Junior - Real Madrid/Brazil
The Brazilian was perceived as the outright frontrunner heading into Euro 2024 and Copa America. His exploits with Real Madrid in the knock-out stages of the Champions League put him in pole position to win his first gong.
He finished the season with 26 goals and 12 assists, winning three trophies along the way.
However, with many expecting him to carry Brazil in Neymar's absence, Vinicius failed to shine for the Samba Boys in the United States. He picked up a suspension in the last group game and therefore forced to watch helplessly as they crashed out to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.
1. Jude Bellingham - Real Madrid/England
Bellingham took to life in Madrid like a duck to water, quickly racing to the front in the Pichichi race. He came up with important goals, perhaps none as crucial as the ones in El Clasico.
His goal returns for a traditional midfielder are great, but the major drawback was that he didn't rise to the occasion in Madrid's run-up to their Champions League win. He only assisted once in the Round of 16 and was hooked off in the semi-final and final.
His case has largely been helped by Vinicius' poor showing in Copa America and his vital goal for England in the Round of 16.
Otherwise, as it stands, a case can be made for either of the two Real Madrid players now that England fell short at the final hurdle once again.
Source: Legit.ng
English (US) ·