Football

Ballon d’Or nominations proof that the Messi-Ronaldo era is finally over

September 9, 2024
RevSportz Comment
Ronaldo and Messi greeting each other. Source (X)

Pavel Nedved will be happy. A generation unaware of what a complete midfielder he was now knows of his existence because of the 2024 Ballon d’Or nominations. With no Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi on the 30-man longlist for the first time in over two decades, it’s only natural that the curious will look back at the 2003 awards, the last time neither featured at the ceremony.

Nedved, The Czech Republic’s talisman who was then at the heart of a magnificent Juventus side that lost the Champions League final on penalties in 2002-03, was the clear winner, ahead of Thierry Henry (Arsenal) and Paolo Maldini (AC Milan). The Brazil-born Deco was the only Portuguese player on the list, tied for 13th, while not a single Argentine made it.

In 2024, Portugal are represented by Ruben Dias and Vitinha, while the Martinez duo – Emiliano, Aston Villa’s goalkeeper, and Lautaro, Internazionale’s striker – fly the flag for Argentina. We can safely say, however, that not one from that quartet is likely to lift the trophy on October 28.

Ronaldo scored 50 goals in 51 appearances for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia this past season, but his misfires in front of goal played a big part in Portugal’s disappointing Euro 2024 campaign. Messi may have won the Copa America with Argentina, despite limping off injured and in tears, but his underwhelming displays for Inter Miami meant that he missed out just as he did in 2022 after a poor first season with Paris Saint-Germain.

It’s noticeable that each of the 30 nominated plays in Europe, and in one of the Big Five leagues – England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France. All but four – Toni Kroos (retired), Mats Hummels (a free agent after leaving Borussia Dortmund), Cole Palmer (Chelsea) and Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao) – will play in the Champions League this season.

Ronaldo was a guest at the Champions League draw recently, and though he made a point about having played in the Asian Champions League last season, he knows as well as anyone that the competitions are not even comparable. Messi too knew when he left Europe that he would be embracing life as a B-lister.

Ronaldo made a tremendous impact off the bench as Portugal came from behind to beat Scotland in a Nations League encounter on Sunday, but Messi remains on the sidelines. Neither has offered any clarity about their international future, but it’s evident that the football world at large is moving on.

With just over a month to go for the Ballon d’Or, the discussion centres on which Real Madrid player will lift the trophy for the first time. Jude Bellingham was instrumental in a storming start to last season, while Vinicius Junior picked up the gauntlet as Bellingham’s form tailed off after April.

Neither, though, really shone with their national sides in the summer. Brazil were poor at the Copa America, while Bellingham’s wonder strike against Slovakia couldn’t obscure how insipid so much of England’s football was en route to the Euro 2024 final.

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Whatever happens between now and October, it won’t be forgotten just how Ronaldo and Messi changed the narrative. The greats of the past played at the very highest level for a decade, if that. To play at Ballon d’Or standard for nearly 20 years is unimaginable. Pele didn’t do it, and neither did Diego Maradona. Johan Cruyff and Ferenc Puskas had great decades, as did Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini.

Marco van Basten, who also won it thrice like Platini and Cruyff, didn’t get much more than half a decade before injury wrecked his career. Part of the wonder of both Messi and Ronaldo is not just their excellence, but their longevity. Messi finished in the top 3 of the Ballon d’Or voting 14 times, winning it on eight occasions, while Ronaldo had 12 top-3 finishes and five wins. No one else even comes close – Platini and Franz Beckenbauer are next with five top-3 finishes.

The end of an era? Without a doubt. But even as football forges ahead, it won’t forget a duo unlike any others. What a time it was.  

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