Top 10 Latest 2023-24 Ballon D’or Power Rankings

Top 10 Latest 2023-24 Ballon D’or Power Rankings

With the Golden Ball race underway, which of the biggest names in the game are serious competitors and which are just pretenders?

Following a season that culminated in him winning the World Cup at last, Lionel Messi won his seventh Ballon d’Or after winning the 2023 trophy in Paris back in October. Predictions regarding the 2024 winner are already being made, though, as the football world moves swiftly forward.

READ ALSO: Golden Boot 2023-24: Top 10 European Football’s Scorer 

It looks like a really competitive race. Most of the world’s top players will be participating in international competitions this campaign, including the European Championship and Copa America this summer, in addition to the normal ups and downs of the European domestic season.

How much of an impact will those contests have on the 2024 Ballon d’Or race, then, after a year characterised by the struggle between tournament success and season-long superiority? As more and more of the biggest names in the game move to emerging leagues throughout the globe, may we see the first victory by a player who plays club football outside of Europe?

The highest individual reward in the game will undoubtedly have competitors, and THEEAGLE will be there to track them every step of the way. Will you be able to bike along with us? Proceed directly to our Ballon d’Or 2024 Power Rankings for the most recent update.

11. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)

In 2023-24: 19 goals, nine assists.

It was a little bit of a hidden gem, but there was a case to be made that Griezmann was the most reliable high-level performer in Europe from the start of the 2022 World Cup to the conclusion of 2023.

Atletico Madrid was dreaming of both domestic and European triumph thanks to his form in the first half of the season, but since then, the Rojiblancos have fallen out of the title fight and now face tough competition to make it to the Champions League quarterfinals. To be a genuine candidate for the Ballon d’Or, Griezmann will probably need to perform exceptionally well for Diego Simeone’s team against Inter in the second leg and beyond, in addition to being a standout player for France at Euro 2024.

10. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

In 2023-24: 16 goals, 12 assists.

Saka is leading Mikel Arteta’s team as they attempt to end their lengthy Premier League trophy drought, proving to be the proof to everyone who thought Arsenal may fade away following their disappointing performance in the title fight the previous season.

The England winger has started 2024 in electric fashion, and has netted seven goals in his last five league matches, with the Gunners in their best form of the campaign. They do face a fight to remain in the Champions League after narrowly losing their last-16 first leg to Porto, but Saka will likely have plenty to say when the Portuguese side come to the Emirates Stadium.

If Saka can guide Arsenal to a Premier League or Champions League title, then all he might need to be in with a real chance of winning the Ballon d’Or is a strong Euros with the Three Lions.

9. Lautaro Martinez (Inter)

In 2023-24: 25 goals, five assists. Won Supercoppa Italiana.

Martinez, who is averaging nearly a goal per game in Serie A thus far for an Inter team that already appears to be winning the Scudetto, has had one of the best seasons of any striker.

The runners-up from the previous campaign are growingly seen as dark horses to win the European Cup at Wembley in June, and the Nerazzurri are also expected to make it to the Champions League quarterfinals. Martinez will play for Argentina once more in the Copa America, where they want to win a major tournament for the third time in a row.

8. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

In 2023-24: 24 goals, 13 assists. Won Carabao Cup.

Salah, who had an incredible first half of the season and finished just outside the top 10 in the 2023 Ballon d’Or vote, has a genuine opportunity of putting himself into contention despite Liverpool’s disappointments the previous season.

His ultimate candidature might be impacted by his lack of Champions League experience, but it could be offset by a Premier League championship with the Reds. However, he was unable to experience the same level of international success that some of his competitors may have this summer due to his agonising injury at the Africa Cup of Nations.

7. Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)

In 2023-24: 12 goals, seven assists. Won Supercopa de Espana.

Due to injury, Vinicius did not get off to the quick start that many may have anticipated when Karim Benzema departed Real Madrid; however, the winger appears to be returning to his peak now that he has overcome his physical problems.

In the Spanish Super Cup final, he scored a hat-trick to help Madrid defeat Barcelona, and his incredible first goal against Girona placed Madrid ahead of the race for La Liga.

When you factor in that he’ll also likely be Brazil’s main man at the Copa America following Neymar’s season-ending knee injury, Vinicius is set up for a memorable 2024.

6. Rodri (Manchester City)

In 2023-24: Seven goals, seven assists. Won Club World Cup & UEFA Super Cup.

Rodri hasn’t experienced defeat in a Man City shirt for more than a year, and the fact that the squad has lost the three Premier League games he has missed so far in 2023–24 is one of the best ways to show how important he is to the group.

With his recent equaliser against Chelsea, among other important goals, the Spain international has established a habit of drawing attention from fans and Ballon d’Or voters. He is currently, without a doubt, the best defensive midfielder in the world.

5. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

In 2023-24: 35 goals, nine assists.

The goal of Kane’s transfer to Bayern was to finally put him in a position where he could win his first trophy. However, the Bavarians are now in serious danger of finishing the season without any hardware after falling eight points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and needing to come back from behind to defeat Lazio in the Champions League round of 16.

Kane continues to score at a record-breaking rate and is averaging more than a goal a game in the league for the defending champions, but if he doesn’t end the club season with a winners’ medal of any kind, would leading England to glory at Euro 2024 even be enough for him to claim a first Ballon d’Or?

4. Phil Foden (Manchester City)

In 2023-24: 17 goals, 10 assists. Won Club World Cup & UEFA Super Cup.

Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne both missed significant portions of the season due to injuries, so Foden has stepped up magnificently and is poised for his finest season to date.

Foden’s form has not only put him in the running for many titles with Man City, but it has also increased his chances of starting for the highly anticipated England team at Euro 2024.

3. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

In 2023-24: 25 goals, six assists. Won Club World Cup & UEFA Super Cup.

Haaland could barely have done more to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or and yet still came up just short, so can he go one better and claim his first Golden Ball this time around?

Now fully fit after a month out through injury, he is still getting back to peak form for City, but if they again pick up multiple trophies with their No.9 netting the crucial goals, that could be enough to get Haaland over the Ballon d’Or line.

However, the fact that he will once more miss the major summer competition due to Norway’s failure to qualify for Euro 2024 may be the largest barrier in his way. When it comes time to cast ballots, Haaland’s potential bravery might be overlooked if another candidate wins big in Germany.

2. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

In 2023-24: 38 goals, 13 assists. Won Trophee des Champions.

We already know that this will be Mbappe’s last Ballon d’Or campaign as a PSG player because the drama is almost over. His long-term move to Real Madrid is anticipated to be confirmed in the upcoming days, weeks, and months.

The Ligue 1 winners are already in a strong position to retain their title thanks to Mbappe’s goals, and they’ve also defeated Real Sociedad 2-0 in the first leg of the Champions League, putting them in the quarterfinals.

However, Mbappe’s most realistic path to winning the Ballon d’Or is by enjoying another 50+ goal season for PSG before firing France to European Championship glory in Germany during the summer.

1. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

In 2023-24: 21 goals, 11 assists. Won Supercopa de Espana.

Since the beginning of the season, Bellingham has been the best football player in the world, and he has adapted to Real Madrid’s surroundings unlike any other signing since Cristiano Ronaldo. Not only has he scored a lot, but he has also scored some really significant goals, like the double he scored in November to win El Clasico and the brace he scored against Girona in what was called a title-decider early in February.

Bellingham sustained a knock in that game that has kept him out of the lineup ever since. Madrid hasn’t looked the same without him, which has further highlighted his significance to Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

However, England will be optimistic that they can finally overcome their big tournament hump at the European Championship with Bellingham in his current form. Though there is still plenty to be done, Bellingham is currently the man to beat.