Lionel Messi Missed Off Ballon d'Or Shortlist For First Time Since 2005
Lionel Messi has not been nominated for the Ballon d'Or for the first time since 2005.
The Argentina captain has won the award, given to the soccer player voted as the best in the world, a record seven times.
Messi is the current holder of the Ballon d'Or after winning it last year.
But he will be officially dethroned on October 17 when the 2022 winner is crowned.
SEE ALSO: New Ballon d'Or Voting Criteria Explained
That winner is widely expected to be Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema.
But 29 other players have been nominated, including five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo.
Six of this year's nominees come from European champions Real, with Benzema joined on the list by Thibaut Courtois, Antonio Rudiger, Luka Modric, Casemiro and Vinicius Junior.
There are also six Liverpool players on the 30-man short-list, including summer signing Darwin Nunez.
Kylian Mbappe is the only player from Paris Saint-Germain to earn a nomination, while two come from Tottenham Hotspur in Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.
2022 Ballon d'Or Shortlist
2022 Ballon d'Or Nominees |
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Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) |
Rafael Leao (AC Milan) |
Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig) |
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) |
Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich) |
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) |
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) |
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) |
Luis Diaz (Liverpool) |
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) |
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) |
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) |
Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid) |
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) |
Luka Modric (Real Madrid) |
Erling Haaland (Manchester City) |
Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus) |
Joao Cancelo (Manchester City) |
Kylian Mbappe (PSG) |
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) |
Casemiro (Real Madrid) |
Son Heung-min (Tottenham) |
Fabinho (Liverpool) |
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) |
Mike Maignan (AC Milan) |
Harry Kane (Tottenham) |
Darwin Nunez (Liverpool) |
Phil Foden (Manchester City) |
Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich) |
Sebastian Haller (Borussia Dortmund) |