Ballon d'Or Odds: Who Will Win The Award In 2024?
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Betting sites continue to stick with Jude Bellingham as the favourite to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Real Madrid’s Bellingham was named the world's best young player at the 2023 Ballon d’Or awards and received the Kopa Trophy at the ceremony in Paris.
“To win this trophy means a lot,” said Bellingham. "But for me the important thing is team trophies and the important thing for me is to kick on and help Real Madrid and England win trophies for many years.”
UK bookmakers have the midfielder in pole position to go one step further this year and win the main gong that Lionel Messi claimed for an eighth time in his career in 2023.
But there is fierce competition for the 2024 Ballon d’Or with both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo now expected to drop out of the top three after a period of dominance that has lasted almost two decades.
A number of bookmakers have now updated their 2024 Ballon d’Or betting markets and Bellingham isn’t the only Englishman seemingly in the running.
Jude Bellingham Ballon d’Or Odds
Bellingham came second in the race for the 2021 Kopa Trophy when at Borussia Dortmund but was overlooked for the gong in 2022.
In 2023, however, Bellingham secured his £88.5m transfer to Real Madrid and the versatile midfielder has not looked back.
At the time of writing, Bellingham has 22 goals in 39 appearances for Los Blancos this term as Carlo Ancelotti's side have claimed a 36th La Liga title.
He is the second top goalscorer in Spain this season, bagging 18 goals along with four assists.
More goals are certain to come for the Englishman as he has become Madrid's leading marksman.
Bellingham’s rise has been projected ever since he came through the academy ranks at Birmingham. However, to be favourite for the Ballon d’Or at just 20 years old is remarkable.
His 11/4 odds carry a 26.7% implied probability that would have put him ahead of everyone bar Messi in last season’s market.
Being at Real certainly helps his chances. Not only is he on course to score 25+ goals this season and is in contention for the Champions League and La Liga trophies, he’s also tipped to be the key man for England at Euro 2024 in the summer.
To win the Ballon d’Or you need to win trophies. That’s what always set Messi and Ronaldo apart from the rest.
If Bellingham can deliver for Real and potentially steer England to a first men’s trophy since 1966 then this gong is his.
Mbappe Ballon d’Or Odds Hold Firm
Kylian Mbappe is Bellingham’s closest rival for the Ballon d’Or in 2024 and it’s not hard to see why.
The Champions League was the ultimate ambition for PSG, but a 2-0 aggregate defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals ended their chances of European glory this year.
Mbappe has already won the World Cup with France, but that triumph earned him the 2018 Kopa Trophy.
Had France beaten Argentina in the 2022 final then he would surely have won the Ballon d’Or ahead of Messi.
At 25 years of age and with the previous generation of big guns now out of the way, the path looked smooth for Mbappe to finally win this gong. But then Bellingham came along.
Mbappe cannot outshine the Englishman for prowess on the domestic front as winning La Liga is considered a bigger achievement than winning Ligue 1 once again.
But football betting sites have Mbappe smartly priced at 4/1 and realistically this could be a toss-up between Mbappe’s France and Bellingham’s England, and how their countries fare at Euro 2024.
Kane Finally Has A Chance At Ballon d’Or
It was commendable that Harry Kane stayed at Tottenham as long as he did but the voting process for the Ballon d’Or used to heavily favour trophies, and still does to a big extent.
Now at Bayern Munich, Kane has missed out on a Bundesliga title in his debut season and were minutes away from making a Champions League final.
Despite floundering in the race for the title, Kane has dominated on the goalscoring front and should he deliver for the Three Lions at Euro 2024, then Kane’s odds of 13/2 with Bet365 will almost certainly decrease.
He never once got into the top three of the Ballon d’Or votes while at Spurs, but with 44 goals in 45 matches sporting his new colours, 2024 is definitely proving to be another impressive year.
Haaland Odds Reflect Voting Issues
Erling Haaland is, by most people’s reckoning, the most fearsome footballer on the planet right now. He is a deadly finisher, can lead the line on his own, and is a terror for defenders.
He has never won the Ballon d’Or and hasn’t even come close to winning the Kopa Trophy.
There are a few reasons for this. The first is that he will almost certainly never achieve the international success that Messi, Ronaldo and previous winners like Fabio Cannavaro and Luis Figo enjoyed in their careers.
Haaland isn’t winning a World Cup, European Championship or Nations League with Norway.
The second is he’s at Manchester City. The vote of 170 journalists (now cut to 100) usually focuses more on the continent. City aren’t looked upon favourably elsewhere in Europe purely because of their financial clout.
Haaland won the treble last season and still didn’t pick up the 2023 award because Messi won the World Cup.
After losing out to Real Madrid in the last eight of the Champions League, only the double is possible this term which is why Haaland’s odds have drifted way out to 28/1.
Vinicius Jr Is Now Well In Contention
Vinicius Jr is the biggest market mover in recent weeks, with the Brazilian now available at 5/1 with betting apps after Real Madrid made it through to another Champions League final.
The 23-year-old may also be the star of the 2024 Copa America and it could well end up a head-to-head battle between him and teammate Bellingham for the accolade.
Vinicius was very much in Bellingham’s shadow during their impressive domestic campaign and was a 25/1 shot in April, but he is at the epicentre of their success on a European front.
Best Of The Rest
It would be a big surprise if Messi (25/1) won this trophy once more in his career but there’s a slim chance of that happening in 2024.
After all, Argentina compete in the Copa America in the US this summer, and he has started the 2024 season with Inter Miami in impressive fashion.
Continue his fantastic start with Miami and win the Copa America, and there will be talk of a ninth Ballon d’Or.
In reality he might just sneak into the top three, assuming the European Championship doesn't go to France or England.
Elsewhere, City’s Phil Foden (18/1), Rodri (18/1) and Kevin De Bruyne (33/1) carry the same weight as Haaland when it comes to convincing journalists they are worthy of votes.
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