Ballon d’Or finalists without Ronaldo or Messi for first time since 2003; Naomi Girma’s omission sparks outrage

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

The list of 30 finalists in the men’s event includes stars such as Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane. A player not named Messi or Ronaldo wins football’s highest individual award for the third time in 17 years.

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

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

On the women’s side, 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 just won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is not among the finalists, an omission that has sparked outrage on social media.

Reigning world champions Spain, along with the US national team, have secured five nominations: Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, Mariona Caldentey, Salma Paralluelo and Patricia Guijarro are all finalists for the women’s award.