For the first time since 2003, Portugal's star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina's Lionel Messi were not nominated for the 'Ballon d'Or' award for the best player of the year.
French football officials announced the 30-player nominations for the Player of the Year award on Wednesday.
After 2003, it was always the case that one of Messi and Ronaldo would be nominated for the award, but both would end up out of the running for the award, which is the first time in 21 years that this has happened.
Portugal's Ronaldo, a 5-time winner of the award, failed to secure a nomination last year as well, while Messi, who won a record 8th Ballon d'Or in 2023 and won Argentina's Copa America this year, is not in the running.
Seven players from Spain's recent Euro Cup winning team are among the nominations for this year's Ballon d'Or award.
5 players from England have also made it to these nominations, France's Mbappe is also in the race to receive this award.
It should be noted that the Ballon d'Or award is given by France Football to the best footballer of the year and 180 journalists from around the world vote for the winner. Last year, Messi won the award for a record 8th time.
The 2024 Ballon d'Or awards ceremony will be held in Paris on October 28
