"Give Him Number 9", "Y’all Are Never Beating the Allegations" - Fans Left Divided as Lionel Messi Nominated for 2026 Ballon d'Or Award
- Lionel Messi, aged 39 and playing for Inter Miami, has been nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or award despite playing outside European elite competitions.
- Goalkeepers nominated for the Lev Yashin Trophy include FIFA World Cup winners Unai Simon, David Raya, and Emiliano Martínez, alongside other notable keepers such as Matvey Safonov and Edouard Mendy.
- Paris Saint-Germain leads with nine players on the 30-man men's Ballon d'Or shortlist.
- The Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place in London on October 26, marking the first time the event is held in the UK.
235 Articles
235 Articles
France Football has announced the list of 30 candidates for the Golden Ball 2026, which will be delivered during an evening in London on 26 October. Among the magnificent 30 there is only one Serie A player, the striker of Inter Lautaro Martinez and zero Italian footballers. On the list there are Ousmene Dembele, winner last year and Lionel Messi but not Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi joins Mbappé, Rodri, Dembelé and other footballers in the fight for the Golden Ball. This may be one of the most equal awards of recent years
Organizer of the trophy electing the best player and player of the year, France Football revealed this Tuesday, September 8th the list of 30 finalists for men and women.
Messi, Lamine Yamal and Mbappé head the list of 30 players nominated for the Golden Ball 2026; the award ceremony is October 26.
Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembélé... the 30 nominees at Ballon d'or 2026 are known. Nine Parisians in the race, six Spaniards and Messi's surprise return, which aims for a ninth sacre after his retirement...
The nominations for the "Golden Ball" for 2026 have been announced.
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