Record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has been snubbed by France Football for its … [+] prestigious gong awarded to the best player in the world.
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Record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and current holder Lionel Messi has been snubbed by France Football for its prestigious gong awarded to the best male player in the world.
The list of nominees for the award were revealed on Wednesday evening in Europe. For the first time since 2005, when the Argentine was cutting his teeth as a teenager at boyhood club FC Barcelona, Messi hasn’t been put forward for the golden ball he won last in 2023.
Furthermore, this is the first time since 2003 that neither Messi nor his generational rival Cristiano Ronaldo – a five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or himself – haven’t been nominated.
Turning 37 at the end of June, Messi is still considered to be at the height of his powers by many and helped his country to a second successive Copa America title in the United States.
He came off injured with a swollen ankle during the final, which Argentina won against Colombia in extra time at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, but was still important throughout La Albiceleste’s successful campaign.
Continental glory in the international game is usually enough to grant at least a Ballon d’Or nomination and recognition from France Football, which asks a panel to decide the winner through a voting system.
This time round, however, some might deduce that Messi has been overlooked because of not playing his league game in Europe anymore.
In summer last year, when his Paris Saint-Germain contract was winding down, Messi opted not to wait for Barca to get its financial house in order and instead decided on a move across the Atlantic to Inter Miami in the MLS.
This logic could also apply to the snub received by Ronaldo, who ripped up his Manchester United contract by mutual consent and rocked up in the Saudi Pro League to ply his trade for Al-Nassr in early 2023.
Next generation superstars such as favourite Vinicius Jr., his Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland have all been nominated, however.
So too has a teenager and fellow La Masia pearl tipped as Messi’s successor in 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, who is also up for the Kopa Trophy.
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