Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi out of the Ballon d’Or nominees for the first time since 2003.

The 2024 men’s Ballon d’Or trophy was released on Wednesday, September 4, and for the first time since 2003, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo were featured on the list.

The omission of Messi, who won his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2022, and Ronaldo, a five-time winner, signals the end of an era.  The two superstars dominated the award from 2008 to 2018, with no other player claiming the prize until Luka Modric broke the streak in 2019.

Both players have since moved away from European football, with Messi now playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and Ronaldo playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

This development closes a chapter on a historic era in football history as the Ballon d’Or prepares to crown a new winner.

The main award is set to be held on 28 October at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.