Exploring Under-The-Radar Ballon d'Or Nominees Over the Past Decade

- Discover the lesser-known players who made it to the Ballon d'Or shortlist from 2014 to 2024, including names like David Luiz, Jamie Vardy, and Mats Hummels.

Exploring Under-The-Radar Ballon d'Or Nominees

Napoli's Scott McTominay joins the list of surprising Ballon d'Or nominees for 2025. Looking back over the past decade, several lesser-known players made their mark...

1. David Luiz (2014)

After a tumultuous year captaining Brazil at the 2014 World Cup, Luiz was a surprise inclusion on the Ballon d'Or shortlist.

2. Dimitri Payet (2016)

Payet's stellar performance at West Ham United earned him a nomination, finishing joint-17th in the vote.

3. Jamie Vardy (2016)

Vardy's key role in Leicester City's title win saw him rightfully nominated for the Ballon d'Or, finishing above top players like Ibrahimovic and Pogba.

4. João Félix (2019)

Félix's nomination marked a transition from Benfica to Atlético Madrid, though he ended up at the bottom of the final standings.

5. Dusan Tadic (2019)

Tadic's move from Southampton to Ajax propelled him to a 2019 nomination, finishing 20th in the vote.

6. César Azpilicueta (2021)

Chelsea's Azpilicueta was nominated in 2021 but didn't receive any voting points.

7. Darwin Núñez (2022)

Liverpool's Núñez received a nod after an impressive season with Benfica before joining the Reds.

8. André Onana (2023)

Onana's nomination came after his standout performances at Inter Milan, despite some errors at Manchester United.

9. Mats Hummels (2024)

Hummels returned to the Ballon d'Or shortlist in 2024 after leading Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final.

10. Ademola Lookman (2024)

Lookman's African representation on the 2024 shortlist followed impressive stats with Atalanta but resulted in a 14th-place finish.