Lionel Messi, Mbappe shortlisted for Ballon d'Or, Cristiano Ronaldo snubbed from list

On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, France Football Magazine unveiled the 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or 2023. There are 60 players on the list for the prestigious award this year, equally split between 30 male and 30 female nominees, according to France Football magazine's official announcement. It's interesting to note that Lionel Messi, who was instrumental in helping Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar in December last year, is among the nominees along with the favourites Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

3 things you need to know 

• Lionel Messi is the player with the most Ballon d’Ors (7)
• Cristiano Ronaldo is the player who has been nominated the most times (19)
• Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or on five occasions

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Cristiano Ronaldo is snubbed from the Ballon d’Or 2023 list

Legendary Portuguese player Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or five times, most recently in 2017. In January, Cristiano Ronaldo started a new chapter of his career by signing with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. The first half of the previous season, which saw Ronaldo's return to Manchester United, was quite tumultuous. When Erik ten Hag was the coach, the legendary Portuguese player spent a lot of time on the bench. During his time there, he played in 16 total games (10 starts), scored three times, and set up another two.

The 38-year-old, though, has made a miraculous comeback at Al-Nassr, where he is relishing his role as a league innovator. He had a fantastic season with the Middle Eastern club, scoring 14 goals and adding two assists in 16 league games. Although he excelled individually, he could not help his team win the league title.

Cristiano Ronaldo's omission from the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist this year recalls memories of Lionel Messi's experience the year before when he was having a hard time with PSG. However, Leo is the clear favourite to win this year's Ballon d'Or, having already won seven of the honours in the past. His incredible play at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he won the tournament for the first time, is largely responsible for this acclaim.

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The Ballon d'Or omission highlights Cristiano Ronaldo's longevity

Unexpectedly, Cristiano Ronaldo didn't make the Ballon d'Or shortlist this year. This demonstrates how long he has endured in the football world. It's significant to note that Ronaldo broke his own record by receiving 19 consecutive Ballon d'Or nominations. He consistently made the shortlist, beginning when he was 19 and continuing through his excellent sporting career until he was 37.

In addition, Ronaldo has five times in his incredible career claimed the Ballon d'Or. His first victory came in 2008, and he rapidly followed that up with victories in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017. He is only second to his longstanding nemesis, Lionel Messi, in terms of the famous Ballon d'Or titles.