The 2026 Ballon d'Or was awarded in London on Monday, the first time the ceremony has been held in the English capital, according to Clarin.com. This year's edition marks the 70th anniversary of the prize. Lionel Messi was among the 30 nominees, his 17th nomination, but he did not attend the gala, Clarin.com reports.
The Argentine forward, who has won the award eight times, more than any other player, chose not to make the trip. Clarin.com reports that his absence suggests he will not take the trophy this time, despite a strong showing at the 2026 World Cup that placed him among the leading contenders. The vote is cast by 100 journalists from around the world and is not open to players or fans.
Why it matters
Messi's decision to stay away drew attention because of what it implies. Clarin.com notes that nominees who are not among the finalists often skip the ceremony, and the outlet reads his non-attendance as a signal about the result. At 39, Messi remains the most decorated player in the award's history, and a ninth title would have extended that record. His absence shifts the focus to the rest of the field and to a ceremony that Clarin.com describes as one of the most open in recent years.
The ranking takes shape as the night unfolds
The official Ballon d'Or account released the placings in reverse order during the ceremony, counting down from 30th. Lautaro Martínez, Messi's Argentina teammate, finished 22nd, according to Infobae. Clarin.com reports that it was his fifth nomination and that he could not improve on seventh place in 2024; he was 21st in 2021 and 20th in both 2023 and 2025.
Others confirmed in the lower half of the ranking included Vinícius Júnior in 17th, Ferran Torres in 16th, João Neves in 19th and Willian Pacho in 20th. Marquinhos placed 25th, Luis Díaz 24th, Nuno Mendes 23rd, Dayot Upamecano 26th, Bruno Fernandes 27th and Julián Quiñones 28th. William Saliba and Sadio Mané shared 29th place. Arsenal's player ranked 21st was also announced.
A leaked result and a crowded guest list
The build-up was disrupted when the award's official website appeared to publish news naming Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane as winners, an incident MARCA described as chaos. Clarin.com did not report a confirmed winner.
Mbappé arrived in London for the gala, travelling alongside Marc Cucurella and Emilio Butragueño, according to Clarin.com. Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham did not make the trip. Clarin.com also reports that Thibaut Courtois stayed away.
Among the other categories, Emiliano Martínez was nominated for the Yashin Trophy, which recognises the best goalkeeper, and was chasing a third win, Clarin.com reports. L'Equipe's live coverage, cited by the outlet, listed Courtois, Yassine Bounou and Édouard Mendy as his competition, with Vozinha of Cape Verde described as the surprise name on the shortlist. Clarin.com also noted that Julián Álvarez was left off the 30-man list and that Lionel Scaloni did not appear among the coaching nominees.
Separately, the award's organisers had invited the public to vote for a "Ballon d'Or of All Times," with each vote costing one euro and no limit on how many a person could cast, Clarin.com reports. The outlet said the initiative generated widespread debate.
The ceremony itself was the 70th in the prize's history and the first staged in London. Clarin.com reports that the organisers counted down the ranking on social media in the days before the event, working from 30th place down to the final five, who are typically present in the room.
What to watch next: the full final ranking and the confirmed winner, which the leaked website posts had left in dispute.
