2026 Ballon d’Or: Why Lionel Messi Did Not Attend Award Ceremony in London
- Lionel Messi was nominated for the Ballon d'Or for the 17th time in 2026 but chose not to travel to the ceremony in London
- The Argentine legend finished fifth in the rankings despite playing outside Europe, months after being dropped from the 30-man shortlist entirely
- Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first English player to claim the award since Michael Owen in 2001
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Harry Kane claimed the 2026 Ballon d'Or at the London Palladium on Monday, ending a 25-year wait for an Englishman to lift football's most coveted individual prize.
The Bayern Munich striker beat out a global field of nominees at the 70th edition of the ceremony, with Lionel Messi notably absent despite earning a place on the shortlist for the 17th time in his career.
Source: Getty Images
Kane's winning campaign was extraordinary by any measure.
The 33-year-old scored 61 goals in 51 club appearances for Bayern Munich, guiding the German side to the domestic league and cup double.
Add his international contributions and his seasonal total climbed to 73 goals, including six at the World Cup, where England reached the semi-finals.
The England captain becomes the first player from his country to receive the award since Michael Owen won it in 2001.
Messi finishes 5th in Ballon d'Or rankings
While Kane took the top prize, Messi's fifth-place finish was a story of its own, GOAL reports.
The 39-year-old Inter Miami forward had been left off the 30-man shortlist entirely in the previous cycle, making his return to the top five all the more striking given that he plays his club football in Major League Soccer rather than one of Europe's elite leagues.
His performances at the 2026 World Cup proved decisive in swaying voters.
Messi contributed eight goals and four assists during the tournament, finishing second in the Golden Boot standings and collecting the Silver Ball.
He guided Argentina to the final, his third at a World Cup, where they fell 1-0 to Spain after extra time in what many considered the most impactful tournament of his international career.
Why Messi skipped the Ballon d'Or ceremony
Neither Messi nor anyone from his camp issued an official statement explaining his absence from the London event. However, Argentine media reported that a relentless schedule in recent days was behind his decision to stay away, Sportstar reports.
In the days leading up to the ceremony, Messi had travelled to Spain to receive the Princess of Asturias Award before flying to New York, where Inter Miami lost 2-0 to New York Red Bulls.
Rather than continue his travel to London, he chose to return to Miami.
The reason was his self-organised youth tournament, the Messi Cup, which was taking place in Fort Lauderdale.
The competition, which Messi launched last year, brings together 16 under-16 teams from clubs across the world.
This edition expanded its field to include Arsenal, Ajax, Benfica, Palmeiras, Boca Juniors, Flamengo, and UE Cornellà, among others. Messi was spotted watching a match between UE Cornellà and Boca Juniors, choosing to be present for the tournament that bears his name rather than attend yet another Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Kane breaks silence after winning Ballon d'Or
Legit.ng previously reported about Kane’s 2026 Ballon d’Or win, his rivals for the award and his brief message to fans after the announcement in London.
The Bayern Munich striker’s victory came on home soil, after a remarkable year earned him the sport’s top individual prize.
Source: Legit.ng
