Published : 09 Sep 2026, 06:31 AM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:48 AM
Argentina superstar and Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi has officially been nominated for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, marking the 17th nomination of his storied career.
According to a media statement from Inter Miami CF, the 39-year-old Rosario native stands as the sole active Major League Soccer (MLS) player included in this year's 30-man shortlist for global football's most coveted individual honour.
The winner will be crowned during the official ceremony on Oct 26 in London, England.
Messi, an eight-time winner of the award (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023), lands on the shortlist following a dominant 12-month stretch on both the domestic and international stages.
He guided Inter Miami to its first MLS Cup victory in franchise history.
Individually, Messi secured the 2025 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi with 29 goals while amassing 48 total goal contributions (29 goals, 19 assists).
He was awarded the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player trophy for a second consecutive year, becoming the first player in league history to repeat as MVP.
At the FIFA World Cup 2026, Messi started all eight of Argentina's matches on their path to the final, tallying eight goals and four assists.
He became one of the first players to appear in six separate World Cups and set all-time tournament records for total wins (23), assists (12), and finals started (3).
Additionally, his group-stage brace against Austria made him the all-time top goalscorer in competition history, ultimately finishing as the second-highest overall scorer in World Cup history with 21 total goals.
He also set records by scoring in six consecutive World Cup knockout matches and nine straight World Cup matches overall.
While Messi continues his run among the game's elite candidates, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was omitted from the 30-player shortlist, according to Geo News.
This marks the fourth consecutive year the Portuguese forward has failed to receive a nomination after last featuring in 2022.
