With Lionel Messi winning his eighth — and likely final — Ballon d'Or in 2023, it's time to look ahead at the most intriguing year in the award's history, or at least for the past decade.
Next year's prize will be a fascinating affair. Only two players not named Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo have won the Ballon d'Or since 2008, being Luka Modric in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022.
Now, with both those legendary players potentially out of the picture due to them playing outside Europe's major leagues, the field opens up to include a host of young, international superstars who are looking to take advantage of the power vacuum.
With the 2024 award to be decided over the 2023/24 season and next year's international tournament, The Sporting News looks at the most viable candidates to position themselves as the heir apparent to the generation of legends begging for new greats to be anointed.
Lionel Messi, Aitana Bonmati and the winners on Ballon d'Or night 2023
At this point, there are no odds yet available for the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner.
The Sporting News will monitor the betting market and update this when odds become available.
The Sporting News polled its team of soccer experts to predict the 2024 Ballon d'Or, with each writer submitting a top three. With descending points given for a first-place, second-place, and third-place vote, below is the results of the compilation, along with a short description from each voter on their selection.
PREDICTED WINNER — Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid / England)
With his sensational start to life at Real Madrid, and growing importance for the England national team, Jude Bellingham is the way-too-early predicted winner of the 2024 Ballon d'Or from Sporting News.
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