Ballon d’Or finalists don’t include Ronaldo or Messi for 1st time since 2003; Naomi Girma omission draws outcry

The Ballon d’Or finalists were announced on Wednesday and, for the first time since 2003, the men’s shortlist does not include Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 30 male finalists include stars such as Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane. A player not named Messi or Ronaldo will win football’s top individual honour for the third time in 17 years.

Karim Benzema won in 2022. Luka Modrić won in 2018. Otherwise, Messi and Ronaldo have won every Ballon d’Or together since 2008. Ronaldo won five, the last in 2017.

Messi has won eight titles, most recently last year after leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup championship. Messi has since left Paris Saint-Germain to play for MLS side Inter Miami and has been plagued by multiple injuries.

In the women’s category, five members of the U.S. women’s national team are nominated for the award. Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, Alyssa Naeher and Lindsey Horan are among the 30 finalists. They are coming off a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

U.S. women’s national team defender Naomi Girma was not among the finalists, an omission that sparked an outcry on social media.

Reigning World Cup champions Spain joined the U.S. women’s team in earning five nominations: Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Mariona Caldentey, Salma Paralluelo and Patrica Guijarro are all finalists for the women’s award.