Lionel Messi has received his 17th Ballon d'Or nomination, moving within one of Cristiano Ronaldo's record 18. The 2026 shortlist, which features 30 players, puts Messi at the top of the nominations list.
Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane follow Messi with nine and eight nominations, respectively, making them the only other players on this year's list with more than six career nominations.
Why Lionel Messi's 17th Ballon d'Or Nomination Nears Ronaldo's All-Time Record
Messi's nomination total dates back to 2006, when he first appeared on a Ballon d'Or shortlist. He has been nominated across the past two decades, from his early years at Barcelona to his current spell with Inter Miami.
His latest nomination is his first since 2023, when he won the award for an eighth time, and takes his total to 17. Only Cristiano Ronaldo has more, with 18 nominations between 2004 and 2022.
Mbappé's nine nominations have come during a much shorter period than Messi's 17. The French forward made his first shortlist in 2017 and has remained a regular nominee while still in his prime.
Mbappé's nine nominations stand out because he is still in the early stages of his career compared with Messi and Kane. At 27, he has several more seasons ahead of him to add to his total and potentially close the gap to Ronaldo's record of 18.
Where Harry Kane's Total Fits Against The Rest Of This Year's Shortlist
Kane has eight Ballon d'Or nominations, two more than Erling Haaland, who has six and is the next closest player on the 30-man shortlist. That leaves Kane behind only Messi and Mbappé for career nominations among this year's nominees.
That gap matters because it shows the top three aren't just marginally ahead of everyone else; they occupy a tier the rest of this year's nominees haven't come close to reaching.
Vinícius Júnior, Lautaro Martínez and Sadio Mané each sit at five nominations, meaning even the sport's most consistently recognised younger stars remain several years of nominations behind Kane, let alone Mbappé or Messi.
