The 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist has caused quite a stir, with the notable absences of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
This marks the first time since 2003 that both football legends have been excluded from the final list.
However, it was the omission of Mohamed Salah which outraged Egyptian football fans, who believed the Liverpool star’s impressive performances last season warranted a place among the nominees.
The final list includes players such as Jude Bellingham, Antonio Rüdiger, Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and more.
Mohamed Salah had a record-breaking season in the Premier League but Liverpool’s failure to win any major trophies significantly impacted his chances of winning or even being nominated for the Ballon d’Or, the Pulse Mubasher website reported.
The Reds were eliminated from the Champions League and reached only the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Domestically, they finished third behind Manchester City and Arsenal.
A prolonged injury earlier in the year also hindered Salah’s pursuit of the Premier League Golden Boot, which he eventually finished seventh in, the website stated.
The injury occurred during Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign, forcing him to miss a significant portion of the season.
