For the first time since 2004, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are not featured in the Ballon d'Or nominees.
France Football released the 30-man shortlist on Wednesday, with Rodri, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham the leading contenders.
The award is decided by 100 journalists from around the world and voting will be determined by a number of areas.
Advert
Players do not get to have their say as that privilege is only afforded for the FIFA: The Best awards, which allows journalists and fans to have their say too.
The national team captains vote for their top three in the category and the individual with the most points comes out on top.
Players are known to vote tactically and go for their mates and that is definitely the case with Messi and Ronaldo, the two greatest players of all time.
At one stage the duo were able to vote for the Ballon d'Or, an award they have won 13 times between.
When the France Football accolade was merged with FIFA, Messi and Ronaldo did not pick one another.
Messi did then vote for Ronaldo, placing him in his top three in 2018 and 2019.
Ronaldo would return the favour a year on, putting Messi second in his top three for 'The Best', which was won by Robert Lewandowski.
Much to Lewandowski's frustration, there was no Ballon d'Or that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Messi won the last FIFA Men's Best Player award ahead of Erling Haaland, who he put first in a top three also including Kylian Mbappe and Julian Alvarez.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, refrained from voting and instead allowed Portugal teammate Pepe.
Although both have spoken about the mutual respect between, neither Messi and Ronaldo have ever picked the other in first place and it's unlikely to ever happen.
Lionel Messi awards voting
Ballon d'Or:
2010: Didn't vote
2011: Xavi, Iniesta, Aguero
2012: Iniesta, Xavi, Aguero
2013: Iniesta, Xavi, Neymar
2014: Di Maria, Iniesta, Mascherano
2015: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
FIFA 'The Best':
2016: Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta
2017: Suarez, Iniesta, Neymar
2018: Modric, Mbappe, Ronaldo
2019: Mane, Ronaldo, De Jong
2020: Neymar, Mbappe, Lewandowski
2021: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
2022: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema
2023: Haaland, Mbappe, Alvarez
Cristiano Ronaldo awards voting
Ballon d'Or:
2010: Xavi, Casillas, Sneijder
2011: Did not vote
2012: Did not vote
2013: Falcao, Bale, Ozil
2014: Ramos, Bale, Benzema
2015: Benzema, James Rodriguez, Bale
FIFA's 'The Best':
2016: Bale, Modric, Ramos
2017: Modric, Ramos, Marcelo
2018: Varane, Modric, Griezmann
2019: De Ligt, De Jong, Mbappe
2020: Lewandowski, Messi, Mbappe
2021: Lewandowski, Kante, Jorginho
2022: Did not vote
2023: Did not vote
Topics: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon d'Or
Josh Lawless