England’s Jude Bellingham is competing with his Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Jr. and Manchester City’s Rodri for the Ballon d’Or award.

England’s Jude Bellingham is aiming to outshine his Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Jr. and Manchester City’s Rodri in the race for the prestigious Ballon d’Or, which will determine the world’s best footballer for 2024.

Bellingham, who had a remarkable debut season at the Bernabeu, is hoping to build on his Kopa Trophy win from last year’s ceremony, where he was recognized as the best player under the age of 21.

The young Englishman made an immediate impact in Spain, scoring crucial stoppage-time winners in El Clasico matches and playing a key role in England’s Euro 2024 campaign. A victory in the tournament would have surely secured his chances of claiming the Ballon d’Or. Bellingham’s stunning overhead kick against Slovakia in the last-16 saved England from elimination, but despite reaching the final, they were unable to overcome Spain.

Vinicius, on the other hand, had a standout performance in the Spanish Super Cup final, scoring a hat-trick and playing a crucial role in Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph. This could give him the edge over Bellingham in the race for the prestigious award.

Rodri, who helped Spain win Euro 2024 and played a vital role in Manchester City’s successful defense of their Premier League title, is also considered one of the favorites among the nominees. His club teammate Erling Haaland, who scored an impressive 38 goals for City last season, is also in contention. Phil Foden and Ruben Dias, both from Manchester City, have also been recognized for their outstanding performances.

The list of nominees also includes several players from England’s Euro 2024 runners-up team, such as Harry Kane, Declan Rice, and Cole Palmer. Granit Xhaka, who played a pivotal role in Bayer Leverkusen’s double-winning season, has also been acknowledged.

In a surprising turn of events, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who have dominated the Ballon d’Or for years, have not been nominated for the award for the first time since 2003.

The full list of Ballon d’Or nominations for 2024 includes a mix of talented players from various clubs, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, Atalanta, and Chelsea.

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