Lionel Messi, at 39 years old, is among the 30 candidates for the 2026 Ballon d'Or award, presented by France Football magazine. The award ceremony is scheduled for October 26, in London, England. This is the 17th time the Argentine star has been nominated for the award, making him the biggest winner in the award's history, with eight wins in the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
At the 2026 World Cup, Messi was the great standout for the Argentine national team, leading the team to the tournament final. Argentina was ultimately defeated by Spain in the decisive match. The number 10 was the second-top scorer of the competition with eight goals, behind only Mbappé, who scored ten. He also contributed with four assists throughout the tournament.
This was Messi's sixth and final World Cup. With this, he became the first player to start as a starter in three World Cup finals, having played in the decisive matches of 2014, 2022, and 2026. With Inter Miami, during the period analyzed for the award, the Argentine has accumulated 32 goals and 21 assists in 34 games played.
