The Ballon d’Or will enter a new era. After 15 years in the hands of the Messi-Ronaldo duo where only Karim Benzema (2022) and Luka Modric (2008) had been able to find a place, the attribution of the greatest individual reward in the history of football will be known, in all likelihood, a brand new winner this year. If a few favorites emerge after 9 months of an already well-established season, the outcome of the major European and international competitions should be the judge of the peace for this 2024 vintage. We take stock of the most serious contenders.
Kylian Mbappé, the logical continuation
How can we not mention it first? Barred by Lionel Messi last year, mainly due to a defeat in the World Cup final, nothing has yet stood in the way of the Parisian star. “KM7” always scares the scorers on the statistical side: top European scorer (43 goals in 44 matches in all competitions), top scorer in the Champions League (8 goals), top scorer in Ligue 1 (26 goals)…
“Mbappé is always impressive. Perhaps even more than in other years. He only plays the big matches. And yet he continues to outperform. If he manages to be top scorer in the Champions League, to reach the final… He will be talked about. And that’s what matters most,” says Sonny Anderson, former Olympique Lyonnais striker and consultant for BeIN Sports.
Alain Giresse, second in the 1982 Ballon d’or, is less convinced: “It’s not his best season in terms of performance. Maybe in statistics, but now we need something better with a great title. You should not miss these two great possibilities. » Because in the event of failure in the Champions League, the Parisian star, already crowned in the championship and awaiting a trophy in the Coupe de France, could still afford the Euro this summer with the Blues. A trophy in one of the two competitions would open wide the doors to a long-awaited advent.
Jude Bellingham, a monster at Real
He is currently Kylian Mbappé’s number 1 suitor. At 20 years old, Jude Bellingham is now one of the best midfielders in the world. The Englishman perfectly managed his arrival from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid for more than 100 million euros and a number 5 dear to Zinédine Zidane behind his back. With 21 goals and 10 assists this season, he has become Carlo Ancelotti’s handyman.
“He impressed me by adapting very quickly to Real,” enthuses Sonny Anderson. He has a new role where he scores a lot for a midfielder, and in key moments like during the last Clasico. He’s a tough contender.” Almost assured of being champion of Spain, Bellingham is also in the race with England for the Euro this summer. For Alain Giresse, the winner of the 2023 Kopa Trophy leaves with “a small media deficit compared to the ultra-star Mbappé”: “He will need a smashing finale for us to remember him above Mbappé ! »
Vinicius Junior has changed dimensions
“On the same starting line as the other two, there is also Vinicius,” exclaims Sonny Anderson. If it’s perhaps the homeland of birth that speaks for the former Brazilian international, the Madrilenian has everything going for him this year. Still in the running for a hat-trick (Liga, Champions League, Copa), the will-o’-the-wisp winger continues his rise after his 8th place in 2022 and his 6th in 2023. Buoyed by convincing statistics (19 goals, 11 assists this season ), he changed dimension by becoming the figure of the fight against racism in football.
But he could face competition from his club teammate or from Mbappé in the same position or almost. “I perhaps put him a little behind the other two,” summarizes Alain Giresse. He is still enormous in his speed, in his dribbling, and in his consistency. But I can’t put him at the level of Mbappé for example. Maybe he should score more. »
The Harry Kane case is debated
He never stops scoring. Harry Kane, former Tottenham serial scorer, has continued to shake the net since his transfer this summer to Bayern Munich. With 42 goals in 42 matches in all competitions, the English striker, top scorer in the Bundesliga, is hot on the heels of Kylian Mbappé in the European Golden Shoe rankings. “He has statistics worthy of the greatest scorers in history regardless of the championship. He has not failed this season with Bayern while his club has been absent,” underlines Alain Giresse.
🔴🏴 Harry Kane scores a brace today and makes it new personal record with 42 goals in all competitions this season.
42 goals in 42 games as Bayern player.
ℹ️ 400 total goals in his senior career for club and country. pic.twitter.com/IQ7sZAzp7s
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 27, 2024
But the Munich number 9 comes up against his curse: that of never having won a major trophy in his career. He has already said goodbye to a title at the national level in the league and the Cup, but can still go for the Champions League and the Euro, even if his case is debated. “I don’t see why he would have it when Lewandowski never had it while doing better,” says Sonny Anderson. He’s not a player who reminds me of a Ballon d’Or. That’s all ! »
De Bruyne, Haaland, Wirtz… And the others?
Faced with these four monsters of the season, the rest of the competition starts from a little further away. Ultra-dominant last season (4 players in the Top 9), the Manchester City armada found itself in difficulty by losing its Champions League title but could still aim, for some, for a Premier League and Euro double. Sonny Anderson pleads for Phil Foden, while Alain Giresse prefers to quote De Bruyne: “I had Platini next to me. I know what it means to have an incredible player in this position! » We can already remove from this debate Erling Haaland, second last year but also deprived of the Euro with Norway.
It’s difficult to see more clearly among the other candidates. Florian Wirtz, Bayer Leverkusen prodigy (17 goals, 18 assists), can still dream of a historic quadruple (Championship, Cup, Europa League, Euro), even if he may suffer from a slight lack of notoriety. “When we talk about Ballon d’Or, we talk about stars,” warns Sonny Anderson. He will be very well ranked, but today he is not yet at the world level of my top three in the disorder: Mbappé, Vinicius, Bellingham.”
