Argentine Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi has been nominated for the 2026 Ballon d’Or and could win the award for a ninth time.
Messi has so far won eight Ballon d’Or awards, a feat unmatched by any other footballer.
Messi scored eight goals at the 2026 World Cup and finished second in the top-scorer standings behind Kylian Mbappe, who scored 10 goals.
Before joining Inter Miami, Messi played for France’s Paris Saint-Germain and Spain’s Barcelona. With the Catalan club, he won the Champions League four times, as well as three UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cup titles.
Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented by French publication France Football to the best footballer of the calendar year. It is generally regarded as the most prestigious individual award for footballers. The first Ballon d’Or ceremony was held in 1956.
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Regulation time ended in a 0-0 draw, with 26-year-old Barcelona forward Ferran Torres scoring the match’s only goal in the second period of extra time.
