Move over Messi and Ronaldo. A new generation of soccer stars is lining up to win the Ballon d'Or

MANCHESTER, England -- No Lionel Messi. No Cristiano Ronaldo.

When nan Ballon d'Or is presented astatine a gala ceremonial successful Paris connected Monday, it will consciousness for illustration nan commencement of a caller era successful soccer. There is besides a consciousness of void now that 1 of sport's astir engrossing rivalries is apt over.

“It’s absorbing that arsenic it starts to travel to an end, we are benignant of saying, what’s nan adjacent balanced rivalry going to be," shot writer Jonathan Wilson told The Associated Press. "As if that benignant of rivalry was a earthy state. But there’s ne'er been a rivalry for illustration that before.”

Messi and Ronaldo won soccer’s astir prestigious individual grant a mixed 13 times complete a 16-year play of unprecedented dominance. Neither has been nominated this year.

Instead Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior is nan favourite to beryllium crowned nan world's champion subordinate and go nan first victor calved this century.

He underlined his credentials this week pinch a stunning Champions League chapeau instrumentality against Borussia Dortmund.

“Vinicius had an unthinkable play wherever he was a cardinal player... he proved he’s nan champion subordinate successful nan world,” Madrid teammate Lucas Vazquez said.

But alternatively than Vinicius spearheading a caller era of dominance, it seems apt nan grant will revert to a clip earlier Messi and Ronaldo erstwhile aggregate winners were comparatively rare.

France awesome Zinedine Zidane, for instance, only won it once. The aforesaid goes for Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Luis Figo and George Best. Originally constricted to European players, it was ne'er won by Pele aliases Diego Maradona.

Before Messi, nan past subordinate to triumph back-to-back awards was Dutch striker Marco van Basten successful 1988 and '89.

Messi won a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or past twelvemonth aft starring Argentina to triumph astatine nan World Cup successful 2022. Wilson, who wrote astir nan history of Argentinian shot successful his book “Angels With Dirty Faces,” sees nary evident successor to nan Barcelona great, now astatine Inter Miami.

“Messi’s been phenomenal for 17, 18 years,” he said. "It’s not a axenic tallying process, but successful position of greatness complete a prolonged period, Messi is nan top location has ever been by rather immoderate margin.

“I don’t deliberation there’s anybody successful nan world now who has thing remotely adjacent to that talent."

Such was nan power of Messi and Ronaldo, not only would Vinicius Junior go nan first victor calved this century, but location has ne'er moreover been a recipient calved successful nan '90s.

Vinicius Junior, whose goals helped Madrid to a record-extending 15th European Cup past season, is portion of a caller procreation of stars that are flourishing arsenic Messi and Ronaldo scope nan last stages of their careers.

Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal dress up a section of contenders who could situation for years to come.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri is 2nd favourite to triumph this twelvemonth and would go nan first subordinate calved successful nan '90s to return nan award.

Mbappe, who has long-been seen arsenic nan heir to Messi and Ronaldo arsenic nan world’s champion player, was calved successful 1998, meaning it’s apt location will yet beryllium a victor from that decade moreover if Rodri misses out.

The only different winners since Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or successful 2008 were Luka Modric successful 2018 and Karim Benzema successful 2022. Both were calved successful nan 1980s.

The grant was cancelled successful 2020, erstwhile Robert Lewandowski was wide regarded nan champion subordinate that year. He was besides calved successful nan '80s.

Neymar, calved successful 1992, came 3rd connected 2 occasions.

The Ballon d’Or was created by France Football mag and has been awarded since 1956. It is voted for by journalists from nan apical 100 countries successful nan FIFA rankings.

Each journalist, 1 per country, selects 10 players successful classed order, pinch points attributed to each position. The victor is nan subordinate who receives nan astir points.

The power of Messi and Ronaldo successful nan property of societal media, has heightened nan floor plan of nan award.

Players talk of their dream to triumph it successful a mode they whitethorn person spoken astir nan Champions League and World Cup successful nan past.

The imaginable to triumph it is utilized during transportation negotiations, pinch clauses added to contracts stipulating a buying nine will salary other costs if a subordinate goes connected to beryllium crowned nan champion subordinate successful nan world.

While Vinicius appears to beryllium successful rod position this year, Mbappe vs. Haaland has nan imaginable to create into a caller rivalry for nan grant — peculiarly fixed they are strikers for Madrid and Manchester City, respectively, nan 2 champion teams successful Europe successful caller years.

“That full thought of rivalries and benignant of head-to-head, one-v-ones is conscionable specified a large portion of shot now,” shot writer Matt Oldfield told The Associated Press. “People want to beryllium capable to simplify it to one-v-one, and I deliberation nan Mbappe-Haaland statement will beryllium nan starring one.”

Oldfield writes children's books astir shot and connected visits to schools he gauges nan fame of players among young fans.

His latest bid is called “The Football GOAT (greatest of each time)."

The first book successful nan bid centered astir Messi and Ronaldo. The adjacent is astir Mbappe and Haaland: “We’re benignant of moving beyond Messi and Ronaldo now,” he said.

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James Robson is astatine https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer