Ballon d'Or nominees: Messi misses out, Benzema and Ronaldo in, three Lionesses make cut

PSG's Lionel Messi scores from a stunning overhead kick in the Ligue 1 match against Clermont at Stade Gabriel Montpied on Saturday, August 6, 2022. Reuters

Paris Saint-Germain's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring the fourth goal with Neymar. Reuters

Lionel Messi was on song for PSG against Clermont at Stade Gabriel Montpied. AFP

Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi celebrates with Neymar after scoring. EPA

Neymar was in top form against Clermont on Saturday. EPA

Neymar celebrates with Achraf Hakimi after scoring against Clermont. AFP

Achraf Hakimi scored PSG's second goal on Saturday. EPA

Achraf Hakimi scores against Clermont at Stade Gabriel Montpied. AFP

Marquinhos at Stade Gabriel Montpied. AFP

The name of seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi was left off the 30-man list for this year's coveted football award.

Lucy Bronze, who was runner-up in 2019, is one of three members of England's Euro-winning squad to be short-listed for the women's prize.

Despite winning the Ligue 1 title in his first season at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi endured a largely underwhelming season in France after switching from Barcelona last summer.

The Argentina forward, 35, had been an ever-present amongst the nominations since 2006 and a regular feature in the top three since 2007 with the exception of 2018.

A change in the format has also worked against Messi with the Ballon d'Or no longer acknowledging the best player over a calendar year.

Instead, it is based on a season's record highlighting "the individual performances" and the "decisive and impressive character" of the nominees, according to the criteria.

After leaving Barcelona in the summer of 2021, Messi was unable to stamp his genius on a PSG team desperate for a Champions League title.

The French champions suffered a last-16 exit at the hands of eventual winners Real Madrid despite holding a 2-0 aggregate lead with less than half-hour left in the tie.

Messi's tally of 11 goals for PSG was his lowest since the 2005/06 season, while his relatively indifferent club form failed to impress France Football magazine, the organisers of the Ballon d'Or which will be awarded in Paris on October 17.

PSG teammate Neymar also misses out after a season where he scored 13 goals in 28 matches.

Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, Karim Benzema and Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid pose for a photograph with the Uefa Super Cup trophy after a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt at Helsinki Olympic Stadium on August 10, 2022 in Helsinki, Finland. Getty Images

Karim Benzema of Real Madrid lifts the Uefa Super Cup trophy. The Frenchman svcored the second Real's two goals against Eintracht Frankfurt. Getty Images

Real Madrid celebrate winning the Uefa Super Cup trophy. Getty Images

Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema lifts the Uefa Super Cup trophy. Getty Images

Players of Real Madrid look on as Karim Benzema walks the Uefa Super Cup trophy onto the stage during the trophy presentation. Getty Images

Karim Benzema of Real Madrid scores his side's second goal whilst under pressure from Tuta and Djibril Sow of Eintracht Frankfurt. Getty Images

Karim Benzema scores to make it 2-0 to Real Madrid. Getty Images

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema lifts the trophy after winning the Uefa Super Cup final. AP Photo

Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema and Frankfurt's Brazilian defender Tuta vie for the ball. AP Photo

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their second goal. Reuters

Real Madrid's David Alaba celebrates with the trophy after winning the European Super Cup. The Austrian opened the scoring in a 2-0 win. AP

Frankfurt's Jesper Lindstrom, left, duels for the ball with Real Madrid's David Alaba. AP Photo

Real Madrid's David Alaba celebrates scoring their first goal. Reuters

David Alaba of Real Madrid holds the trophy after winning the Uefa Super Cup final. EPA

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti celebrates after the final whistle. Getty Images

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti, centre, speaks with his players Casemiro, right, and Eder Militao. AP Photo

French international striker Karim Benzema is the overwhelming favourite after being the architect of Real Madrid's 14th Champions League title as well as guiding them to the Spanish league title.

He finished the European campaign with 15 goals with an overall record of 44 goals in 46 matches.

Benzema is likely to become the fifth French winner after Raymond Kopa (1958), Michel Platini (1983, 1984, 1985), Jean-Pierre Papin (1991) and Zinedine Zidane (1998).

His goal in Wednesday's 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the European Super Cup took the 34-year-old to second in the all-time charts for the Spanish giants on 324 goals. Only Cristiano Ronaldo is in front of him with 450.

"He's in line for the Ballon d'Or. Is there any doubt? For me, no," said Real coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Manchester United's Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, is nominated again this year. The Portugal striker scored 24 goals across competitions in what was a largely disappointing campaign for his club Manchester United.

Benzema is joined on the 30-man list by Real Madrid teammates Thibaut Courtois, Casemiro, 2018 winner Luka Modric, Vinicius Jr and Antonio Rudiger, who moved to the Bernabeu this summer from Chelsea.

Beaten Champions League finalists Liverpool have seven players nominated, the most of any club.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates scoring the first goal from the penalty spot in the 2-0 Premier League win at West Ham on August 7. Action Images

Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring. Getty

Erling Haaland scores from the penalty spot. Getty

Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring City's second goal at West Ham. Getty

Haaland shoots to score the second. AP

Erling Haaland celebrates his second goal. Getty

Haaland celebrates with City fans. PA

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on the touchline. AFP

Pep Guardiola gives instructions to his players during a break. EPA

West Ham's Declan Rice grimaces after a missed chance. AP

Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland on the pitch after the full-time whistle. PA

They are Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz, who joined the club in January from Porto, Fabinho, Sadio Mane, since transferred to Bayern Munich, Darwin Nunez, who spent last season at Benfica, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

Manchester City's new £55 million signing Erling Haaland is one of five players nominated for the reigning Premier League champions alongside Joao Cancelo, Kevin de Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva.

There is a 20-strong list for the women's Ballon d'Or including English stars Bronze, Millie Bright and Arsenal forward Beth Mead who won the Golden Boot at the women's Euro 2022.

France have four nominations: Selma Bacha, Kadidiatou Diani, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Wendie Renard.

Last year's winner Alexia Putellas, who was ruled out of the Euros with a last minute injury, and Norwegian star Ada Hegerberg, the first winner of the prize in 2018, are also in the running.

England's Chloe Kelly celebrates with Jill Scott after scoring the extra-time winner against Germany in the Women's Euro 2022 final at Wembley Stadium, London. PA

Leah Williamson and Millie Bright lift the trophy as England celebrate winning the Women's Euro 2022 final. PA

Leah Williamson of England lifts the Women’s Euro 2022 trophy. Getty

England's Chloe Kelly gives England a 2-1 lead. EPA

Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring her side's second goal. PA

England's Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring the winner. EPA

England's Ella Toone celebrates after scoring against Germany in the Women's Euro 2022 final at Wembley stadium in London. AP

Midfielder Ella Toone celebrates after scoring England's opening goal in the Women's Euro 2022 final against Germany at Wembley Stadium in London on July 31, 2022. AFP

England's Ella Toone celebrates with teammates. Reuters

England's Ella Toone celebrates scoring the opening goal with Lauren Hemp. PA

Lina Magull wheels away after scoring for Germany. Getty Images

Germany's Lina Magull celebrates after levelling the scores at 1-1. Getty Images

England's midfielder Fran Kirby fights for the ball with Germany's defender Kathrin Hendrich. AFP

England's Ellen White controls the ball. PA

England's Ellen White makes an attempt at goal. AP

Germany manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg talks with Lea Schueller. AP

England's Ellen White in action with Germany's Kathrin Hendrich. Reuters

England's midfielder Georgia Stanway eyes the ball. AFP

British singer-songwriter Becky Hill performs prior to the start of the match. AFP

England midfielder Georgia Stanway controls the ball. AFP

The 20 female nominees:

Selma Bacha (FRA, Lyon)

Aitana Bonmati (ESP, Barcelona)

Millie Bright (ENG, Chelsea)

Lucy Bronze (ENG Manchester City and Barcelona)

Kadidiatou Diani (FRA, PSG)

Christiane Endler (CHL, Lyon)

Ada Hegerberg (NOR, Lyon)

Marie-Antoinette Katoto (FRA, PSG)

Sam Kerr (AUS, Chelsea)

Catarina Macario (USA, Lyon)

Beth Mead (ENG, Arsenal)

Vivianne Miedema (HOL, Arsenal)

Alex Morgan (USA, Orlando Pride and San Diego Wave)

Lena Oberdorf (GER, Wolfsburg)

Asisat Oshoala (NGA, Barcelona)

Alexandra Popp (GER, Wolfsburg)

Alexia Putellas (ESP, Barcelona)

Wendie Renard (FRA, Lyon)

Trinity Rodman (USA, Spirit Washington Spirit)

Fridolina Rolfo (SWE, Barcelona)

The 30 male nominees:

Trent Alexander-Arnold (ENG, Liverpool)

Karim Benzema (FRA, Real Madrid)

Joao Cancelo (POR, Manchester City)

Casemiro (BRA, Real Madrid)

Thibaut Courtois (BEL, Real Madrid)

Cristiano Ronaldo (POR, Manchester United)

Kevin de Bruyne (BEL, Manchester City)

Luis Diaz (COL, Porto and Liverpool)

Fabinho (BRA, Liverpool)

Phil Foden (ENG, Manchester City)

Erling Haaland (NOR, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City)

Sébastien Haller (CIV, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund)

Harry Kane (ENG, Tottenham)

Joshua Kimmich (GER, Bayern Munich)

Rafael Leao (POR, AC Milan)

Robert Lewandowski (POL, Bayern Munich and Barcelona)

Riyad Mahrez (ALG, Manchester City)

Mike Maignan (FRA, AC Milan)

Sadio Mane (SEN, Liverpool and Bayern Munich)

Kylian Mbappe (FRA, PSG)

Luka Modric (CRO, Real Madrid)

Christopher Nkunku (FRA, RB Leipzig)

Darwin Nunez (URU, Benfica and Liverpool)

Antonio Rudiger (GER, Chelsea and Real Madrid)

Mohamed Salah (EGY, Liverpool)

Bernardo Silva (POR, Manchester City)

Son Heung-min (KOR, Tottenham)

Virgil van Dijk (HOL, Liverpool)

Vinicius Jr (BRA, Real Madrid)

Dusan Vlahovic (SER, Fiorentina and Juventus)

The biggest summer transfers

Perr Schuurs - Ajax to Torino (£8m). AFP

Paco Alcacer - Villarreal to Sharjah (loan). Getty Images

Matheus Nunes - Sporting to Wolves (£38m). AFP

Tanguy Nianzou - Bayern Munich to Sevilla (£16.9m). AFP

Alan Virginius - Sochaux to Lille (£3.8m). AFP

Thilo Kehrer - PSG to West Ham (£10.1m). Getty Images

Pervis Estupinan - Villarreal to Brighton (£15.1m). Getty Images

Destiny Udogie - Udinese to Tottenham (£15.1m). Loaned back to Udinese. Reuters

Sergio Gomez - Anderlecht to Manchester City (£11m). Photo: Manchester City

Alex Collado - Barcelona to Elche (loan). AFP

Remo Freuler - Atalanta to Nottingham Forest (£9m). AP

Marc Bartra - Real Betis to Tranbzonspor (undisclosed fee). Getty Images

Giovani Lo Celso - Tottenham to Villarreal (loan). Getty Images

Cheikhou Kouyate - Crystal Palace to Nottingham Forest (free). Getty Images

Emmanuel Dennis - Watford to Nottingham Forest (£20m). Getty Images

Nico González - Barcelona to Valencia (loan). AP Photo

Luca Pellegrini - Juventus to Eintracht Frankfurt (loan). AFP

Daniel Wass - Atletico Madrid to Brondby (£1.7m). EPA

Pablo Marí - Arsenal to Monza (loan). AP

Dries Mertens - Napoli to Galatasaray (free). AFP

Jordan Veretout - Roma to Marseille (£9.3m). Reuters

Christian Benteke - Crystal Palace to DC United (undisclosed fee). AFP

Maxwell Cornet - West Ham United to Burnley (£17.5m). PA

Georginio Wijnaldum - PSG to Roma (loan). AFP

Lucas Torreira - Arsenal to Galatasaray (£5m). AFP

Marc Cucurella - Brighton to Chelsea (£55m). Getty Images

Ademola Lookman - RB Leipzig to Atalanta (£12.6m). PA via AP

Renato Sanches - Lille to Paris Saint-Germain (£12.6m). AFP

Riqui Puig - Barcelona to LA Galaxy (free). AP Photo

Alex Telles - Manchester United to Sevilla (loan). AFP

Carney Chukwuemeka - Aston Villa to Chelsea (£20m). Reuters

Kasper Schmeichel - Leicester City to Nice (£1m). AFP

Mattia Viti - Empoli to Nice (£10.9m). AFP

Gabriel Slonina - Chicago Fire to Chelsea (£8.3m). Reuters

Bernd Leno - Arsenal to Fulham (£3m). AFP

Charles De Ketelaere - Club Brugge to AC Milan (£26.8m). AFP

Joe Rodon - Tottenham to Stade Rennais (loan). AFP

Borja Mayoral - Real Madrid to Getafe (£8.4m). EPA

Cesc Fabregas - Monaco to Como (free). EPA

Alexis Beka Beaka - Lokomotiv Moscow to Nice (£11.7m). AFP

Marcus Tavernier -Middlesbrough to Bournemouth (£10m). Getty Images

Aaron Ramsey - Juventus to Nice (free). AFP

Orel Mangala - Stuttgart to Nottingham Forest (£12.7m). AFP

David Raum - Hoffenheim to RB Leipzig (£21.8m). Getty Images

Oscar Mingueza - Barcelona to Celta Vigo (£2.5m). Getty Images

Jules Kounde - Sevilla to Barcelona (£45m). AFP

Dwight McNeil - Burnley to Everton (£20m). Getty Images

Arnaud Kalimuendo - PSG to Rennes (£21m). Getty Images

Filip Kostic - Eintracht Frankfurt to Juventus (£14.4m). EPA

Salvatore Sirigu - Genoa to Napoli (free). Reuters

Mikkel Damsgaard - Sampdoria to Brentford (£12.7m). EPA

Malang Sarr - Chelsea to Monaco (loan). AFP

Issa Diop - West Ham United to Fulham (£15m). Getty Images

Alexis Sanchez - Internazionale to Marseille (free). Getty Images

Timo Werner - Chelsea to RB Leipzig (£18m). AP

Amadou Onana - Llle to Everton (£33.8m). AFP

Emirhan Ilkhan - Besiktas to Torino (£3.8m). PA

Gonçalo Guedes - Valencia to Wolves (£27.5m). AP Photo

Conor Coady - Wolves to Everton (loan). Getty Images

Anthony Modeste - Cologne to Borussia Dortmund (£3.8m). EPA

Angeliño - RB Leipzig to Hoffenheim (loan). Getty Images

Marcos Senesi - Feyenoord to Bournemouth (£12.6m). AFP

Isco - Real Madrid to Sevilla (free). EPA

Raheem Sterling - Manchester City to Chelsea (£50m). Getty Images

Lisandro Martinez - Ajax to Manchester United (£46m). Getty Images

Robert Lewandowski - Bayern Munich to Barcelona (£38.3m). AFP

Hugo Ekitike - Reims to Paris Saint-Germain (loan). AFP

Thomas Henry - Venezia to Verona (£3.8m). Getty Images

Takefusa Kubo - Real Madrid to Real Sociedad (£5.2m). Getty Images

Kalidou Koulibaly - Napoli to Chelsea (£33.8m). EPA

Chancel Mbemba - Porto to Marseille (free). EPA

Breel Embolo - Borussa Monchengladbach to Monaco (£10.6m). EPA

Christian Eriksen - Brentford to Manchester United (free). PA

Raphinha - Leeds United to Barcelona (£49m). Getty Images

Federico Bernardeschi - Juventus to Toronto FC (free). Getty Images

Andrea Cambiaso - Genoa to Juventus (£5.9m). Getty Images

Arturo Vidal - Inter Milan to Flamengo (free). Getty Images

Mohamed Bayo - Clermont to Lille (£11.8m). AFP

Francisco Trincao - Barcelona to Sporting (loan). Getty Images

Samu Castillejo - AC Milan to Valencia (undisclosed fee). PA

Lewis Ferguson - Aberdeen to Bologna (£3m). PA

Keane Lewis-Potter - Hull City to Brentford (£16m). PA

Alessio Romagnoli - AC Milan to Lazio (free). Getty Images

Nathan Collins - Burnley to Wolves (£20.5m). PA

Andriy Yarmolenko - West Ham United to Al Ain (free). AP Photo

David Ospina - Napoli to Al Nassr (free). Getty Images

Kristian Thorstvedt - Genk to Sassuolo (£8.4m). Reuters

Andreas Pereira -Manchester United to Fulham ( £10m). Getty Images

Gabriel Jesus - Manchester City to Arsenal (£45m). Getty Images

Steven Bergwijn - Tottenham Hotspur to Ajax (£26.5m). AP Photo

Andreas Christensen - Chelsea to Barcelona (free). AFP

Sébastien Haller - Ajax to Borussia Dortmund (£30.8m). AFP

Flynn Downes - Swansea City to West Ham United (£12m). PA

Junior Messias - Crotone to AC Milan (£3.8m). Reuters

Luis Sinisterra - Feyenoord to Leeds United (£21.3m). AFP

Brais Méndez - Celta Vigo to Real Sociedad (£12.8m). Getty Images

Moussa Niakhaté - Mainz to Nottingham Forest (£8.7m). Getty Images

Romeo Lavia - Manchester City to Southmpton (£12m). AP Photo

Tyler Adams - RB Leipzig to Leeds United (£20m). AP

Axel Witsel - Borussia Dortmund to Atletico Madrid (free). EPA

Maya Yoshida - Sampdoria to Schalke (free). AP Photo

Tyrell Malacia - Feyenoord to Manchester United (£12.9m). AP Photo

Zeki Celik - Lille to Roma (£6m). AFP

Ritsu Doan - PSV Eindhoven to Freiburg (£6.5m). AFP

Divock Origi - Liverpool to AC Milan (free). AFP

Rolando Mandragora - Torino to Fiorentina (£7m). EPA

Joao Palhinha - Sporting to Fulham (£17m). Getty Images

Franck Kessie - AC Milan to Barcelona (free). Getty Images

Trezeguet - Aston Villa to Trabzonspor (£3.4m). AFP

Kalvin Phillips - Leeds United to Manchester City (£45m). Reuters

Giulian Biancone - Troyes to Nottingham Forest (£5m). AFP

Giuliano Simeone - Atletico Madrid to Real Zaragoza (loan). EPA

Raoul Bellanova - Cagliari to Inter Milan (loan). Getty Images

Richarlison - Everton to Tottenham (£50 million). PA

Fabio Carvalho - Fulham to Liverpool (£5 million). PA

James Tarkowski Burnley to Everton (free). Getty Images

Sime Vrsaljko - Atletico Madrid to Olympiakos (free). AP Photo

Dean Henderson - Manchester United to Nottingham Forest (loan). PA

Luuk de Jong - Sevilla to PSV Eindhoven (£3.4m). AP Photo

Henrikh Mkhitaryan - Roma to Inter Milan (free). Reuters

Cenk Tosun - Everton to Besiktas (free). Reuters

Andre Onana - Ajax to Inter Milan (free). Getty

Moussa Sissoko - Watford to Nantes (£2m). AFP

Corentin Tolisso - Bayern Munich to Lyon (free). AFP

Vitinha - Porto to Paris Saint-Germain (£34m). AFP

Romelu Lukaku - Chelsea to Inter Milan (loan). PA

Lorenzo Insigne - Napoli to Toronto FC (free). AP

Sven Botman - Lille to Newcastle United (£31.9m). AFP

Takumi Minamino - Liverpool to Monaco (£15.5m). Getty Images

Alphonse Areola - Paris Saint-Germain to West Ham United (£7.8m). AFP

Lucas Leiva - Lazio to Gremo (free). Getty Images

Joselu - Alaves to Espanyol (free). Getty Images

Matt Turner - New England Revolution to Arsenal (£4.7m). Reuters

Fernandinho - Manchester City to Athletico Paranaense (free). PA

Bartol Franjic - Dinamo Zagreb to Wolfsburg (£6.9m). Getty Images

Wahbi Khazri - Saint-Etienne to Montpellier (free). AFP

Tobias Figueiredo - Hull City to Nottingham Forest (free). PA

Pietro Pellegri - Monaco to Tornio (£3.9m). Getty Images

Erling Haaland - Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City. Getty Images

Malcolm Ebiowei - Derby County to Crystal Palace (undisclosed). PA

Taiwo Awoniyi - Union Berlin to Nottingham Forest (£17m). Getty Images

Gareth Bale - Real Madrid to Los Angeles FC (free). PA

Lucas Alario - Bayer Leverkusen to Eintracht Frankfurt (£5.6m). PA

Sadio Mane - Liverpool to Bayern Munich (£28m). Getty Images

Armindo Sieb - Bayern Munich to Greuther Fürth (undisclosed fee). Getty Images

Nick Pope - Burnley to Newcastle (£10m). PA

Ki-Jana Hoever - Wolves to PSV Eindhoven (loan). PA

Ryan Fredericks - West Ham United to Bournemouth (free). Getty Images

Mario Götze - PSV Eindhoven to Eintracht Frankfurt (£3.4m). Getty Images

Fabio Vieira - Porto to Arsenal (£30m). EPA

Antonio Rudiger - Chelsea to Real Madrid (free). PA

Merih Demiral - Juventus to Atalanta (£17.2m). AFP

Giovanni Simeone - Cagliari to Hellas Verona (£10.3m). AP

Marc Roca - Bayern Munich to Leeds United (£10m). PA

Yves Bissouma - Brighton to Tottenham (£25m). PA

Gavin Bazunu - Manchester City to Southampton (£12m). PA

Darwin Nunez - Benfica to Liverpool (£64.3m). PA

Aurelien Tchouameni - Monaco to Real Madrid (£85.3m). AFP

Nemanja Matic - Manchester United to Roma (free). EPA

Ryan Gravenberch - Ajax to Bayern Munich (£20m). EPA

Giorgio Chiellini - Juventus to Los Angeles FC (released). Getty Images

Cameron Carter-Vickers - Tottenham to Celtic (£6m). AFP

Alexandre Lacazette - Arsenal to Lyon (free transfer). AFP