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Lionel Messi Becomes First Player with Ballon d'Or Nominations Spanning 20 Years

Inter Miami skipper Lionel Messi was named to France Football's 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, making him the first player in football history to have nominations spanning two full decades from 2006 to 2026.

Nilakshi Barman | | 1 min read

Lionel Messi Becomes First Player with Ballon d'Or Nominations Spanning 20 Years
Lionel Messi | Image courtesy: AFP

In Brief:

  1. Lionel Messi earned his 17th career Ballon d'Or nomination for the 2026 award.
  2. He is the first player in history to span 20 years between his first (2006) and most recent (2026) nominations.
  3. Messi holds the record for the most Ballon d'Or wins in history with eight (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023).
  4. The nomination follows a standout season where he led Inter Miami to the 2025 MLS Cup title and captained Argentina to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ final.

Lionel Messi has set yet another landmark in world football after being included in the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or award announced by France Football. At 39 years old, Messi became the first player ever to earn Ballon d'Or nominations across a 20-year span (2006–2026), breaking the record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo, whose nomination span ran from 2004 to 2022.

The 17th nomination of Messi's career comes on the back of leading Inter Miami to their first-ever MLS Cup title in late 2025 and guiding Argentina 🇦🇷 to the FIFA World Cup 2026™ final with eight goals and four assists during the tournament. The eight-time winner joins a star-studded list that includes Rodri, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Lamine Yamal, with the ceremony set to take place on October 26 at the London Palladium Theatre.

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