Ballon d'Or 2026: Inter Miami star Lionel Messi finishes ahead of Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele in top 10

By Ben Sully | 27 Oct 2026 02:00, Last updated: 27 Oct 2026 02:34

Inter Miami prima Lionel Messi secured a fifth-place decorativeness successful the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings.

Bayern Munich guardant Harry Kane claimed the apical prize, ending England's 25-year hold for a Ballon d'Or winner.

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe finished successful 2nd spot successful the voting, up of Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.

The 19-year-old's Spain and Barcelona teammate finished successful fourth, portion Messi rounded retired the apical 5 for his performances with Inter Miami and Argentina.

Where did Messi decorativeness successful the 2026 Ballon d'Or?

Messi fired Inter Miami to MLS Cup glory astatine the extremity of 2025 and past played a pivotal relation successful Argentina's tally to the World Cup final.

The Argentine netted 8 goals and provided 4 assists successful his 8 appearances astatine the tournament, wherever helium won the Silver Ball and Silver Boot down Rodri and Mbappe, respectively. 

Messi earned capable votes successful the Ballon d'Or to decorativeness up of Paris Saint-Germain duo Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, Bayern Munich's Michael Olise and PSG's Fabian Ruiz were besides down Messi successful the apical 10.

While Messi volition springiness small thought to finishing 5th for an grant helium has won 8 times, it is inactive an accomplishment to unafraid specified a precocious placing astatine the property of 39 and arsenic a subordinate plying his commercialized extracurricular of Europe.

There is simply a bully accidental Messi has made his last quality connected a Ballon d'Or shortlist, considering helium is successful the second stages of his vocation and precocious retired from planetary football.

Why did Messi miss Ballon d'Or ceremony?

Despite being nominated, Messi was not successful attendance astatine Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremonial successful London. 

Messi astir apt recognised helium was not going to triumph the grant and, with Inter Miami successful MLS action connected Tuesday, it made small consciousness for him to marque the travel implicit to England.

Instead, helium attended the 2nd variation of the Messi Cup successful Miami, a contention that highlights the game's brightest young stars arsenic 16 of the world's champion Under-16 sides look disconnected successful a week-long tournament.