Lionel Messi has set a new longevity record in football’s premier individual award after being named among the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees, becoming the first player ever to span two full decades between his first and most recent nominations.
The Argentine star, 39, first appeared on the shortlist in 2006 as a teenager at Barcelona, when he received two votes. His inclusion this year extends the gap to 20 years, a milestone no other player has achieved.
Messi’s nomination comes at the end of a notable period that included a strong showing with Argentina at the recent World Cup, where he scored eight goals, a domestic double with Inter Miami, and his recent retirement from international football.
An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi is considered an outsider in this year’s race, with Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal among the leading contenders following the World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo still holds the record for the most nominations with 18, but his span from 2004 to 2022 falls short of Messi’s new 20-year mark.
The achievement underscores the remarkable consistency of a career that has kept the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward among the world’s elite for two decades.
