After a season headlined by him finally getting his hands on the World Cup, Lionel Messi took home his eighth Ballon d'Or after picking up the 2023 prize in Paris back in October. The footballing world has long since moved on, though, and now debate is raging as we gradually move towards knowing the identity of the 2024 winner.

It was an intense race. Along with the usual domestic ups and downs, 2023-24 was a campaign that saw the majority of the globe's best players taking part in international tournaments, including the European Championship and Copa America.

So after a year that was defined by the battle between Messi's tournament success for Argentina and Erling Haaland's season-long superiority at Manchester City, how much of a bearing on the 2024 Ballon d'Or race will those international competitions have? Meanwhile, could we see the first win from someone who plays their club football outside of Europe, as more and more of the game's biggest names head to up-and-coming leagues in other parts of the world?

GOAL has been here every step of the way to track the contenders for the biggest individual prize the game has to offer. So who do we think will come out on top? Check out our Ballon d'Or 2024 Power Rankings after the nominees were revealed ahead of the ceremony on Monday, October 28...

1.Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)

In 2023-24: 26 goals, 12 assists. Won Champions League, La Liga & Supercopa de Espana.

Injury meant that Vinicius did not got off to the fast start many might have expected when Karim Benzema left Real Madrid, but after finally shaking off his fitness issues, the winger was back to his best - and them some. He netted a hat-trick to help beat Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, while he was in fine goal-scoring form in La Liga as Carlo Ancelotti's side secured the title at home. Perhaps most notably, though, he was the outstanding player in both legs of Madrid's Champions League semi-final win over Bayern Munich, and he went on to light up Wembley in the final by scoring the second goal in the victory over Borussia Dortmund.

His summer, however, did not go to plan. Despite scoring twice against Paraguay in the Copa America group stages, Vinicius then picked up a suspension that ruled him out of the Selecao's quarter-final against Uruguay, and he could only watch from the stands as his compatriots crashed out on penalties. Whether that is enough to deny him the Ballon d'Or remains to be seen, as he remains the favourite to claim the Golden Ball on October 28.

2.Rodri (Manchester City)

In 2023-24: 12 goals, 15 assists. Won Euro 2024, Premier League, Club World Cup & UEFA Super Cup.

Until the FA Cup final, it had been over a year since Rodri last tasted defeat inside 90 minutes for Man City, and little illustrated his importance to the team more than the fact that they lost each of the first three Premier League games that he missed in 2023-24.

He is the best defensive midfielder in the world, and the fact that the Spain international has also developed a habit of popping up with crucial goals and assists - including the strike which sealed the Premier League title for City - means he is catching the eyes of even more fans, and Ballon d'Or voters.

He may have been forced off at half-time in the Euro 2024 final, but his performances leading into that game still proved enough for him to claim the Player of the Tournament prize. Picking up that award may yet prove enough to tip him over the edge when it comes to claiming the Ballon d'Or, but the competition is fierce.

3.Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

In 2023-24: 27 goals, 17 assists. Won Champions League, La Liga & Supercopa de Espana.

The best footballer in the world during the first half of the 2023-24 season, Bellingham took to his new surroundings at Real Madrid like no signing since Cristiano Ronaldo. Not only did he score frequently, but he also netted hugely important goals, too.

The hype around him was tempered somewhat in early 2024, in part due to him missing games through injury and suspension, but he reignited his Golden Ball bid with a tireless performance to help knock Manchester City out of the Champions League before netting his second stoppage-time winner in El Clasico of the season.

He went on to score two crucial goals for England at Euro 2024, including his last-gasp overhead-kick against Slovakia to keep the Three Lions' tournament alive in the last 16. Beating Spain in the final would surely have led to a first Golden Ball for Bellingham, but he will likely just have to make do with a place on the podium after Gareth Southgate's side came up short in Berlin.

4.Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)

In 2023-24: Seven goals, eight assists, 21 clean sheets. Won Euro 2024, Champions League, La Liga & Supercopa de Espana.

One of the unsung heroes of Real Madrid's season, Carvajal stepped up at big moments throughout the campaign with key goals and assists while also locking down the right side of defence. No more clear was his impact than when he opened the scoring in the Champions League final to help secure a 15th European Cup for Los Blancos.

He carried that form into the international arena, too, as he found the net early on at Euro 2024 for Spain before providing a commanding presence during La Roja's run to the final. Carvajal's trophy haul will likely skyrocket him up the Ballon d'Or rankings as a result, but the veteran is certainly deserving of recognition given his memorable 12 months.

5.Lautaro Martinez (Inter)

In 2023-24: 35 goals, eight assists. Won Copa America, Serie A & Supercoppa Italiana.

Lautaro Martinez's career has been defined by his inability to show up in the biggest matches, and it seemed that narrative was set to continue this past season after his missed penalty in the shootout condemned Inter to a last-16 exit from the Champions League at the hands of Atletico Madrid.

However, that proved to be one of very few dark moments for the Argentine over the past 12 months, as he tore up Serie A to fire a dominant Inter to the Scudetto before finally proving himself for his country in a major tournament, as Lautaro scored a Golden Boot-winning five goals at the Copa America - including the extra-time winner in the final as La Albiceleste retained their crown.