Sam Kerr and Matildas suffer brutal new blow in six-year first for prestigious football award

Sam Kerr is a major absentee from the women's Ballon d'Or nominees in 2024, with no Matildas player making the shortlist for the first time in six years. The Matildas have endured a tough year since their remarkable run at the Women's World Cup with Kerr injuring her ACL and leaving the forward sidelined for most of the season.

Tony Gustavsson departed as the Matildas manager after Australia was eliminated in the group stage of the Olympics after a poor campaign. Mary Fowler and co couldn't advance in a group after defeats to Germany and USA with a review into the national team taking place.

And for the first time in six years since the award's inception, Australia has no representative in line for the prestigious football award. Last year, both Kerr and Matildas winger Hayley Raso were nominated.

Kerr finished second after dominating the league with Chelsea and excelling at the World Cup. Raso's brilliant form secured her a move to Real Madrid. Unfortunately, the move didn't work out and Raso has returned to the Women's Super League to join Tottenham.

Raso's lack of game time outside of playing for Australia also hurt her chances of being nominated again. Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati, who won the women's award last year, heads the 30-strong list of the female award.

Chelsea and Aussie fans reacted to Kerr's absence on the list with the exciting forward a major loss to women's football since she has been injured. Kerr has finished third, third and second in the previous editions of the award, but has never managed to win the award.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo snubbed

Kerr's absence wasn't the only shock name left off a list at the award night. For the first time since 2003 both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have not been nominated for the men's Ballon d'Or. Messi's move to the MLS - away from European competition - has finally ended his run in the Ballon d'Or.

The Barcelona legend has won the award a record eight times and was the last winner after lifting the World Cup trophy with Argentina in 2023. Ronaldo's move away from Europe to Saudi Arabia has also ended his run of being nominated every year going back to 2004. He has won the award five times.

Messi and Ronaldo won the award eight times between 2008 and 2023. This year's award will most likely go to a new winner with Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane the favourites.

Haley Raso leaves Real Madrid for Tottenham

This week, Raso announced she would be finally leaving Real Madrid to make a return to the Women's Super League. The Matildas superstar has found a home in Tottenham having signed a two-year deal. The 29-year-old will link up with fellow Aussies Clare Hunt and Charlotte Grant at Tottenham and will be the 14th Matildas player in the league.

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While there was speculation Raso was fielding interest from Juventus and Paris Saint Germain as her next destination, the Aussie opted for a move back to England after just one season in Spain. Raso should get more game time playing at Tottenham on the wing having been starved of a starting position in Madrid.

"I'm absolutely delighted to be here," Raso said after the announcement. "I think the WSL is such a competitive league, you see that with all of the games and all of the teams. So for me coming back here, it was an easy choice, I want to be back in this league, at this level and Spurs was the team that I chose to do that."