Messi and Ronaldo left off Ballon d'Or nominees list for first time in 18 years

Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal has earned a spot, alongside six talented England players - Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Cole Palmer.

It is the first time since 2003 that neither Messi, 37, and Ronaldo, 39, have made the nominations.

Ballon d'Or nominees

Jude Bellingham (England and Real Madrid)

Ruben Dias (Portugal and Manchester City)

Phil Foden (England and Manchester City)

Federico Valverde (Uruguay and Real Madrid)

Emiliano Martinez (Argentina and Aston Villa)

Erling Haaland (Norway and Manchester City)

Nico Williams (Spain and Athletic Bilbao)

Granit Xhaka (Switzerland and Bayer Leverkusen)

Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine and Roma)

Toni Kroos (former Germany and Real Madrid)

Vinicius Jr (Brazil and Real Madrid)

Dani Olmo (Spain and Barcelona)

Florian Wirtz (Germany and Bayer Leverkusen)

Martin Odegaard (Norway and Arsenal)

Mats Hummels (Germany, free agent)

Rodri (Spain and Manchester City)

Harry Kane (England and Bayern Munich)

Declan Rice (England and Arsenal)

Vitinha (Portugal and Paris St-Germain)

Cole Palmer (England and Chelsea)

Dani Carvajal (Spain and Real Madrid)

Lamine Yamal (Spain and Barcelona)

Bukayo Saka (England and Arsenal)

Hakan Calhanoglu (Turkey and Inter Milan)

William Saliba (France and Arsenal)

Kylian Mbappe (France and Real Madrid)

Lautaro Martinez (Argentina and Inter Milan)

Ademola Lookman (Nigeria and Atalanta)

Antonio Rudiger (Germany and Real Madrid)

Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain and Bayer Leverkusen)