Ronaldo, Neymar headline top 5 2023 Ballon d’Or snubs as Messi nears another prize

The nominees for the prestigious men's Ballon d'Or award for 2023 have been unveiled, and it's noteworthy that two of the most prominent figures in global football have been omitted.

Naturally, the favourites, seven-time recipient Lionel Messi and Manchester City sensation Erling Haaland are prominently featured among the nominees.

However, in a surprising turn of events, Cristiano Ronaldo, the long-standing rival of Messi who is often hailed as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), has been omitted from the list for the first time since 2003, per Sportskeeda.

Sports Brief examines the top five stars who conspicuously failed to secure a spot on this year's nominee list.

5. Jack Grealish

Regrettably, the exuberant Manchester City player will not find himself among the 30 nominees for the 2023 Ballon d'Or.

Nevertheless, considering his impressive resurgence during the 2022-23 season following a less-than-stellar debut season at the Etihad, Grealish certainly merits recognition. He played a direct role in 16 goals during City's triumphant treble-winning campaign.

4. John Stones

Another notable omission from the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist is the English international John Stones, who played a pivotal role in Pep Guardiola's triumphant Manchester City squad that secured the treble.

When assessing the crucial contributors to City's treble-winning campaign, Stones undoubtedly ranks among the top five most significant players.

One could even argue whether Man City would have achieved their dominant success had Guardiola not made the brazen decision to deploy the English centre-back in midfield during the 2022-23 season.

3. Marcus Rashford

Under the guidance of Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United forward elevated his performances to an unprecedented level, tallying an impressive total of 30 goals and contributing nine assists, per ManUtd News.

furthermore, his excellence extended to the international stage, as he consistently delivered exceptional performances for England at the World Cup, finding the net three times during the tournament.

To provide some context, Opta's statistics reveal that just six players were more directly involved in goals across all competitions last season than Rashford, with a remarkable total of 39 involvements. Notably, all of these players were included on the Ballon d'Or shortlist.

2. Neymar Junior

At one point, Neymar was poised to ascend to the throne Lionel Messi once occupied, both at Barcelona and as the planet's preeminent player, according to GOAL.

Yet, he charted a different course by joining Paris Saint-Germain and is currently among the elite footballers pursuing their careers in Saudi Arabia.

His 2022-23 season unfolded as a woeful narrative, marked by on-field injuries and off-field complications. Consequently, PSG swiftly chose to offload him, completing his transfer to Al-Hilal during the summer window. Given these circumstances, his omission from the nominee list is less startling.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Undoubtedly, the most glaring omission from the list is none other than five-time Ballon d'Or recipient, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Following a tumultuous start to the 2022-23 season, Ronaldo concluded his European football journey, departing from Manchester United to embark on a new chapter with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in December.

Despite an impressive record of 26 goals in 33 appearances for Al-Nassr, the 38-year-old has surprisingly been excluded from the 30-man shortlist for the 2023 Ballon d'Or award.

Considering that this marks the first instance he has been left off the list since 2003, it's safe to say that the news came as a shock to many fans.