Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo left off of 30-player Ballon d’Or shortlist
Lionel Messi has been omitted from the list of nominations to win this year’s Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best soccer player.
The record eight-time winner did not feature Wednesday in a list of 30 players in the running for this year’s prize, which will be presented Oct. 28.
Vinícius Júnior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are among the names nominated.
Five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo was also omitted. It was the first time since 2003 that neither Ronaldo nor Messi made the list.
Messi won the award last year.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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