“This is so stupid” - Gabriele Marcotti offers opinion on Ballon d'Or after Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi dominance

ESPN pundit Gabriele Marcotti believes there are no clear favorites for the Ballon d'Or this year after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's dominance. He has criticized the award and labeled it a 'popularity contest'.

The 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony is set to take place in Paris in October. Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Rodri have been touted as favorites to win the prestigious award this year.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the greatest players of this generation, have dominated the award. Between 2008 and 2017, the Ballon d'Or was not awarded to anyone without the name Messi or Ronaldo.

Marcotti has reflected on this period of dominance and offered his opinion on this year's favorites. He said:

“This is so stupid the way we all get bent over backwards on this popularity contest. If [only] people knew the voting mechanism, if they know the people that vote on this and how some of them really don’t watch much football at all."

“And we’re sitting here guessing, it’s like the academy awards, ‘should win’, ‘will win’. I really couldn’t care less. If I had a vote, and I don’t, I’d probably give it to Rodri or [Toni] Kroos."

“For all these years with Cristiano and Messi, you really couldn’t screw this up because if it’s not one guy then it’s the other. Now that they’re gone and everybody is flawed [it’s strange]."

Lionel Messi won a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or last year after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina, while Cristiano Ronaldo has won five.

"Now with this bunch, I really don’t know" - Marcotti praises Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after highlighting 'flaws' in 2024 Ballon d'Or favorites

Marcotti went on to hail Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting that they deserved to win the Ballon d'Or even when they had bad seasons. The pundit also pointed out why this year's favorites have flaws.

Prior to Euro 2024, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior were touted as favorites to win the award. The Real Madrid duo won the La Liga and the UEFA Champions League last season, playing a crucial role in each triumph.

However, after having rather underwhelming campaigns at the Euros and the Copa America by their standards, another candidate entered the discussion. Rodri, who led Manchester City to the Premier League title last season and won the Euros with Spain, is a serious contender.

Speaking on ESPN, Marcotti said:

“We’re seeing these flaws up close. Jude Bellingham is not a cyborg, Vinicius gets himself suspended, has bad games, disappears sometimes, Toni Kroos is really old. It just makes me appreciate Ronaldo and Messi more. Even when they had bad seasons, they were still legit Ballon d’Or candidates."

He added, naming Rodri as his pick:

“Now with this bunch, I really don’t know. It probably should be Rodri, but it won’t be him.”