France Football revealed the nominees for the 2024 Ballon d'Or, which for the first time in over 20 years does not feature either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Bayern Munich's Harry Kane has been nominated, but team-mate Jamal Musiala was strangely left off the list. Chief editor Vincent Garcia has given his reasons for why he is not being recognised among the best players in Europe.

Speaking to the press, Garcia said: "In my opinion, there are three main reasons why he was not selected by the committee. First, his lack of statistics in the Champions League, where he scored as many goals as Mathys Tel, for example. That is too few for a player of his calibre.

"He also failed to convince in important matches such as the Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid or the Euro quarter-final against Spain, where his performances were not catastrophic but rather neutral. Bayern's season, which saw them finish in the Bundesliga at its worst since 2011, did not help him either. I am sure he will return to this list in the future."

The outrage surrounding Musiala's absence from the Ballon d'Or shortlist is warranted among Germany and Bayern Munich fans who revere the 21-year-old as their brightest talent. But the 34-cap international only recorded 20 goal contributions last season compared to 32 the year before, perhaps suggesting that expectations around his performances have risen.

Musiala will have his chance to prove to everyone on the continent that he is deserving of a place in the top 30 for the prestigious award when Germany face Hungary on Saturday evening. Julian Nagelsmann's side will then travel to the Netherlands on Tuesday for their second UEFA Nations League game in September.