With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's duopoly over the Ballon d'Or award seemingly over, Lukhanyo Mtuta takes a look at some of the stars who could exert their dominance over the prize in the seasons to come.
Messi and Ronaldo are two of the most decorated footballers of the modern era, with the pair sharing 13 Ballons d'Or between them. Their dominance began in 2009, with the Portuguese great claiming his first of five awards, while the Argentine would go one to clinch a record eight golden balls, with his latest coming in 2023.
Read: Is the MLS becoming the new Eredivisie for SA exports?
With both stars having since moved on from elite European football, it seems quite unlikely either of them could add another Ballon d'Or to their glittering trophy cabinets. In fact, Messi's 2023 win came under widespread scrutiny as a large section of fans, current and former players, as well as pundits criticised the Inter Miami star's triumph, insisting that Manchester City sensation Erling Haaland deserved it more.
With that said, the Norwegian is broadly considered as one of the top candidates to win the prize going forward. Here's a look at some other early shouts for players who could win the Ballon d'Or in the future.
Erling Haaland – Manchester City
The 23-year-old is one of the best footballers on the planet thanks to his insatiable appetite for scoring goals in abundance. Last season, he joined City from Borussia Dortmund and played an instrumental role in a historic continental treble triumph. This season, the centre-forward does not seem to be slowing down, having already scored 29 goals in 32 games in all competitions. While his performances in a City shirt cannot go unnoticed, his Ballon d'Or prospects could be hindered by the fact that he plays for Norway, who often miss out on major international tournaments – the Scandinavian country didn't even qualify for the upcoming 2024 UEFA European Championship in Germany later this year.
Kylian Mbappe – Paris Saint-Germain
The French superstar is reportedly set to join Real Madrid next term after he informed PSG he would be leaving as a free agent when his contract expires in June. This news sent the football fraternity into a buzz as many believe that joining the Spanish powerhouse would place him in a much better position to claim his first Ballon d'Or. Since breaking on to the scene, the 25-year-old has been shortlisted for the prize on six consecutive occasions, and there's a general feeling that his time is coming as Messi and Ronaldo are now effectively out of the picture.
Harry Kane – Bayern Munich
Indeed, the Ballon d'Or has been dominated by strikers and high-scoring attackers. By virtue of this, Kane stands a pretty good chance of accomplishing this esteemed feat. The Englishman has been one of the most consistent centre-forwards for the better part of a decade, but his lack of trophies has been an obstacle to his chances. Now at Bayern Munich, Kane represents a side with a pedigree of winning championships – although this season things have not gone accordingly. However, he 30-year-old also represents England, who have already been touted as favourites to win the 2024 UEFA European Championship alongside France.
Read: AFCON winner: Why I should get African giants job!
Honourable mentions in terms of future contenders include Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid, but with the prospect of Mbappe potentially soon joining their team, their path to winning the Ballon d'Or looks complicated given that the Frenchman would be expected to have a star role at Los Blancos.
Disclaimer: SNL24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on SNL24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of SNL24.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH: