No one anticipated this
Results of the 2024 Ballon d’Or have reportedly been leaked on social media just hours before the ceremony is set to take place.
The results will officially be announced in Paris on Monday night and for only the third time since 2007, the men’s prize will go to someone other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo given that neither have been shortlisted.
The awards show will start at approximately 7pm UK time but the results may not come as a complete surprise as a list has been shared on social media reportedly revealing the winner.
The unconfirmed list shows Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior as the winner with 630 points, 54 more than second place Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
The list shows that there are three Englishmen in the top eight as Jude Bellingham is in third, Harry Kane in fifth, with French international Kylian Mbappe sandwiched between in fourth.
City striker Phil Foden sits down in eighth.
Lamine Yamal is seventh, while Dani Olmo, Florian Wirtz, Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rudiger are ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th respectively.
The most surprising result is that Norwegian and Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland is only sixth on the list with 195 points.
In 2023, Haaland finished second behind Messi. Last season he scored 38 goals in 45 games for City.
Although the authenticity of the list is doubted by many, others were left outraged by Haaland’s position.
One Portuguese-speaking journalist shared the list on X and asked: “If this really is the leaked Ballon d’Or list, what explains Haaland in 6th? Vini Jr deservedly the best in the world.”
Vinicius Junior had been the favourite to win the top prize after playing a huge role for Madrid as they won La Liga and the Champions League.
The 24-year-old from Brazil provided six goals and four assists in 10 Champions League games last season, on top of 20 goal involvements in 26 La Liga matches.
