Argentina FIFA World Cup Winner & Ex AC Milan Star Represent Inter Milan On Ballon D’Or Shortlist | OneFootball

Inter Milan stars Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu have both landed spots on the Ballon d’Or 30-man shortlist.

The Argentine striker and the Turkish midfielder were two key pillars in the Nerazzurri’s triumphant Serie A campaign last season.

Lautaro was the league’s top goalscorer and was also named the Serie A MVP.

On the other hand, Calhanoglu dictated the play in the middle of the park, cementing himself as one of the finest deep-lying playmakers on the globe. The 30-year-old was also flawless from the spot,

Therefore, the two Inter protagonists got the nod on the Ballon d’Or shortlist, joining a host of world-class superstars.

Inter Milan Stars Lautaro Martinez & Hakan Calhanoglu on Ballon D’Or Shortlist

According to The Athletic, Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. is the main favorite to clinch the prestigious award.

The Brazilian guided Carlo Ancelotti’s squad towards a La Liga triumph and yet another Champions League trophy.

His teammate Jude Bellingham is also among the main runners, along with Man City’s Rodri.

On the other hand, serial winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both been snubbed.

The winner will be announced on October 28th in a ceremony that will take place in Paris.

Here is the full list of the 2024 Ballon d’Or nominees:

Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) Rodri (Manchester City) Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid) Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) Ruben Dias (Manchester City) William Saliba (Arsenal) Fede Valverde (Real Madrid) Cole Palmer (Chelsea) Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) Erling Haaland (Manchester City) Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen) Artem Dovbyk (Roma) Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) Mats Hummels (Roma) Hakan Çalhanoglu (Inter) Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao) Phil Foden (Manchester City) Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) Dani Olmo (Barcelona) Declan Rice (Arsenal) Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain) Ademola Lookman (Atalanta) Lautaro Martinez (Inter) Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen) Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid)