Everything you need to know about World Cup 2026 Across America, Canada and Mexico, for the first time ever, 48 teams will compete in football's biggest tournament. Here is all you need to know. The biggest ever World Cup is mere months away, with the fixtures and locations all confirmed. The tournament across America, Canada and Mexico will see 48 teams competing to become best in the world - up from the usual 32. Dramatic playoffs saw Italy narrowly miss out on a spot in the finals for the third time in a row, while Iraq will return to the tournament for the first time in 1986. Here's everything you need to know. When and where is the World Cup? The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026 and will be played at 11 sites in America, three in Mexico and two in Canada. 104 games will be played overall - up from 64. The host nations automatically qualify and will play all three of their group stage matches on home soil. The final will take place at the New York New Jersey (MetLife) Stadium - home of the New York Giants and New York Jets. Aerial view of Metlife Stadium, where the final will be played. Pic: AP Image: Aerial view of Metlife Stadium, where the final will be played. Pic: AP The stadiums where games will be played are: America: • Atlanta Stadium • Boston Stadium • Dallas Stadium • Houston Stadium • Kansas City Stadium • Los Angeles Stadium • Miami Stadium • New York New Jersey Stadium • Philadelphia Stadium • San Francisco Bay Area Stadium • Seattle Stadium Mexico: • Estadio Azteca Mexico City • Estadio Guadalajara • Estadio Monterrey Canada: • Toronto Stadium • BC Place Vancouver Stadium How will the group stages work? Due to the increased number of countries in the tournament, the format of the group stages has changed slightly. Instead of 32 teams being divided into eight groups, this year will see 12 groups of four. The top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to a round of 32. For the first time since 1998, Scotland have bagged themselves a place through qualifying while Jordan, Curacao, Cape Verde and Uzbekistan will all make their World Cup debuts. Here's the full list of groups: When are England and Scotland playing? England are in Group L and will begin their campaign on 17 June in Texas against Croatia, who knocked the Three Lions out of the 2018 World Cup. Here's England's full fixture list: • England vs Croatia - 17 June, Dallas, 9pm (UK time) • England vs Ghana - 23 June, Boston, 9pm (UK time) • Panama vs England - 27 June, New York-New Jersey, 10pm (UK time) Scotland's timetable is less favourable for fans, who will need to stay up through the night to watch their side take on opponents including five-time winners Brazil. • Haiti vs Scotland - June 14, Boston, 2am (UK time) • Scotland vs Morocco - June 19, Boston, 11pm (UK time) • Scotland vs Brazil - June 24, Miami, 11pm (UK time) Read more: What to know about England's opponents Scotland's 2am kick-off 'difficult' - what World Cup schedule means 4:31 Scotland qualify for World Cup Uncertainty over Iran's involvement Iran's sports minister has said the country's team can "under no circumstances" compete in the World Cup after US and Israeli forces began attacking it. Donald Trump has also voiced concerns over Iran participating, saying he'd worry for the players' "life and safety". 1:34 From March: Trump claims Iran football team unsafe in US But FIFA president Gianni Infantino claims he is confident they will play. "Iran is coming for sure," he told CNBC on 14 April. "We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come, of course. They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play." Iran is slated to open against New Zealand on 15 June before facing Belgium on June 21, with both matches in Los Angeles. They are then scheduled to face Egypt in Seattle. If they were to advance beyond the group stages, the rest of its games would also be held in the US. A national team has not withdrawn from a FIFA World Cup since 1950. How much are tickets? Initially, FIFA suggested tickets for the competition's 104 matches would be sold using dynamic pricing, meaning fans would pay different prices according to demand. 3:06 Is the World Cup too expensive? Variable pricing - fluctuating based on demand - had never been used at a World Cup before, raising concerns about affordability. FIFA later backed away from it, saying allocations would be set at a fixed price for the duration of the next ticket sales phase. FIFA says the cheapest tickets have been sold from $60 (£45) in the group stages - but many have been sold for far more, leading to further criticism. The football organisation has listed what it's called a front category 1 seat to see the United States play Paraguay on 12 June in Inglewood, California, for $4,105 (£3,024), and added a category 2 tier with tickets going up for $2,735 (£2,015). Canada's opening-round match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on the same day in Toronto has tickets listed for up to $3,360 (£2,475). The top ticket price was $8,680 (£6,395) when FIFA sold tickets after the tournament draw in December, but in March it was raised to $10,990 (8,094) during the glitch-hampered reopening of sales. FIFA president Gianni Infantino previously boasted that there have been more than 500 million ticket requests for the tournament but, according to estimates by The Athletic, less than six million tickets are accounted for. Trump has threatened to change host cities Some time after the stadiums were selected, Donald Trump threatened to remove the Democrat-run city of Los Angeles from hosting, along with the Boston area, where England and Scotland are playing some of their group stage fixtures. "If we think there's going to be a sign of any trouble, I would ask Gianni [Infantino] to move that to a different city," Mr Trump said in November, as protests against his government took place in both cities. 3:21 From December: Could Trump move World Cup matches? The president later said the government would have to "force ourselves" on LA during the World Cup for security purposes. He said: "We're gonna have to do something ​when it comes to World Cup time, and we're gonna have to force ourselves ​upon them, which we have ⁠the right to do, ⁠because we don't want to have any crime, we ‌don't want to have any problems." FIFA told Sky News the US government does have the right to determine if cities are safe for the World Cup. But Scott LeTellier, who was managing director of the 1994 World Cup in America, suggested the cities in question shouldn't worry about Mr Trump's threats, as changing the stadiums would require "some kind of national emergency that would give the government the authority to cancel an event". "I don't see even a remote chance of that happening," he said. Will there be a half-time show? Following in the footsteps of the NFL's Superbowl, FIFA has confirmed that a half-time show will be performed during the World Cup final on 19 July. Other finals have had musical acts before, but this will be the first half-time show. Earlier this year, FIFA's Mr Infantino said Coldplay will help pick the artists who will perform - none have been confirmed so far. Coldplay's Chris Martin will help decide who will perform at the World Cup half-time show. Pic: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Image: Coldplay's Chris Martin will help decide who will perform at the World Cup half-time show. Pic: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Meet the mascots - and the ball As there are three host nations, this year's World Cup also comes with three mascots. Maple the moose, Zayu the jaguar and Clutch the bald eagle will represent host countries Canada, Mexico and America respectively. Pic: Reuters Image: Pic: Reuters The official ball of the 2026 FIFA World Cup named Trionda. Pic: Reuters Image: The official ball of the 2026 FIFA World Cup named Trionda. Pic: Reuters Also reflecting the three co-hosts is the official World Cup match ball - Trionda - which means three waves in Spanish. The ball features a swirled pattern incorporating red, green and blue, with each section representing a host nation. Lionel Messi Article Talk Read View source View history Tools Appearance Text Small Standard Large Width Standard Wide Color Automatic Light Dark This is a good article. Click here for more information. Page extended-confirmed-protected From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "Messi" redirects here. For other uses, see Messi (disambiguation). Lionel Messi Messi at the White House in 2026 Personal information Full name Lionel Andrés Messi[1] Date of birth 24 June 1987 (age 38)[1] Place of birth Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1] Position Forward Team information Current team Inter Miami Number 10 Youth career 1992–1995 Abanderado Grandoli FC 1995–2000 Newell's Old Boys 2000–2004 Barcelona Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 2003–2004 Barcelona C 10 (5) 2004–2005 Barcelona B 22 (6) 2004–2021 Barcelona 520 (474) 2021–2023 Paris Saint-Germain 58 (22) 2023– Inter Miami 63 (58) International career‡ 2004–2005 Argentina U20 18 (14) 2008 Argentina U23 5[α] (2) 2005– Argentina 198 (116) Medal record Men's football Representing Argentina FIFA World Cup Winner 2022 Qatar Runner-up 2014 Brazil Copa América Winner 2021 Brazil Winner 2024 United States Runner-up 2007 Venezuela Runner-up 2015 Chile Runner-up 2016 United States Third place 2019 Brazil Finalissima Winner 2022 England Olympics Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing Team U20 World Cup Winner 2005 Netherlands South American U20 Championship Third place 2005 Colombia Website messi.com Signature Lionel Messi signature * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10:00, 3 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 03:11, 1 April 2026 (UTC) Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi[note 1] (born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Messi has set numerous records for individual accolades won throughout his professional footballing career, including eight Ballon d'Ors, six European Golden Shoes, and eight times being named the world's best player by FIFA.[note 2] In 2025, he was named the All Time Men's World Best Player by the IFFHS. Messi is the most decorated player in the history of professional football, having won 46 team trophies.[note 3] His records include most goals in a calendar year (91), most goals for a single club (672 for Barcelona), most goals in La Liga (474), most assists in international football (61), most goal contributions in the FIFA World Cup (21), and most goal contributions in the Copa América (32). Messi has scored over 900 senior career goals and provided over 400 assists for club and country, resulting in over 1,300 goal contributions—the highest total in the sport's history.[25] Messi made his competitive debut for Barcelona at age 17 in October 2004. He gradually established himself as an integral player for the club, and during his first uninterrupted season in 2008–09 he helped Barcelona achieve the first treble in Spanish football. This resulted in Messi winning the first of four consecutive Ballon d'Ors, and by the 2011–12 season he had set the European record for most goals in a season and established himself as Barcelona's all-time top scorer. During the 2014–15 season, where he became the all-time top scorer in La Liga, he led Barcelona to a historic second treble. Messi was named Barcelona's captain in 2018. While playing for the club, he won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues. Financial difficulties at Barcelona led Messi to depart in August 2021 and sign with Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the Ligue 1 title during both of his seasons there. He joined the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami in July 2023, and led them to their first MLS Cup victory in 2025, while also winning back-to-back league MVP awards in 2024 and 2025. An Argentine international, Messi is the national team's all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped player. Several years after his senior debut in 2005, he won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Assuming captaincy in 2011, he led Argentina to three consecutive finals in the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario, all of which they lost. After announcing his retirement from international football in 2016, he returned to help Argentina qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Messi was central to ending Argentina's 28-year trophy drought by winning the 2021 Copa América. In 2022, he led Argentina to a World Cup victory, the country's first in 36 years. Messi's third major international title arrived when Argentina won the 2024 Copa América. Messi has endorsed the sportswear company Adidas since 2006. He was ranked the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2019 and 2022, and was among Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, 2012, and 2023. In 2020 and 2023, he was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, the first team-sport athlete to win the award. In 2020, Messi was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team and became the second footballer and second team-sport athlete to surpass $1 billion in career earnings. Following his arrival and impact on football in the United States, Messi was named Time's Athlete of the Year in 2023, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by US president Joe Biden in 2025. Early life Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe Province.[26] He was the third of four children of Jorge Messi, head of department at the Acindar [es] pressed steel manufacturer in Villa Constitución, and his wife Celia Cuccittini, who worked in a magnet manufacturing workshop. His parents had met as youngsters in Rosario's south-eastern district of Las Heras, where Messi himself later grew up, and had married on Jorge Messi's completion of military service in the Argentine Armed Forces in 1978. On his father's side, Messi is of Italian and Spanish descent, the great-grandson of immigrants from the north-central Adriatic Marche region of Italy (with his surname coming from Porto Recanati), and on his mother's side he has primarily Italian ancestry.[3][27] Growing up in a tight-knit, football-loving family, "Leo" developed a passion for the sport from an early age, playing constantly with his older brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, and his cousins, Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, both of whom became professional footballers.[28] At the age of four, Messi joined the local football club Abanderado Grandoli FC, where he was coached by his father. His maternal grandmother, Celia, accompanied him to training and matches.[29] He was greatly affected by her death, shortly before his eleventh birthday. Since then, as a devout Catholic, he has celebrated his goals by looking up and pointing to the sky in tribute to his grandmother.[30][31] Youth career Newell's Old Boys "When you saw him you would think: this kid can't play ball. He's a dwarf, he's too fragile, too small. But immediately you'd realise that he was born different, that he was a phenomenon." — Newell's Old Boys youth coach Adrián Coria, sharing his first impression of the 12-year-old Messi[32] Messi started playing for the Rosario-based football club Newell's Old Boys when he was seven years old; he would become a lifelong supporter of the club. During the six years he played for Newell's, he scored almost 500 goals, and was a member of "The Machine of '87", a nearly unbeatable youth team named for the year of their birth. Messi regularly entertained crowds by performing ball tricks during half-time, when the Newell's first team played home games.[B] His goalscoring idol growing up was Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who Messi called "the best forward I've ever seen".[36] Messi's future as a professional player was threatened when, at the age of 10, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. He began growth hormone therapy at age 11;[37] however, his father's health insurance covered only two years of the therapy, which cost at least 1,000 pesos per month. Newell's agreed to contribute, but later reneged on their promise.[38] Messi was scouted by the Buenos Aires club River Plate, whose playmaker Pablo Aimar he idolised.[39][40] It was speculated for a time that Messi failed to sign with River Plate due to his ill health; however, in a 2019 interview, he revealed that River Plate had wanted to sign him after he scored four goals at a trial, and even offered to pay for his medical treatment, but Newell's refused to release his player card, preventing the transfer.[41] Barcelona As the Messi family had relatives in Catalonia, they sought to arrange a trial with Barcelona in September 2000, when Messi was 13. First-team director Carles Rexach immediately wanted to sign him, but the board of directors hesitated; at the time it was highly unusual for European clubs to sign foreign players of such a young age. On 14 December, an ultimatum was issued for Barcelona to prove their commitment, and Rexach, with no other paper at hand, wrote a contract on a paper napkin.[39][42] In February 2001, Messi's family relocated to Barcelona, where they moved into an apartment near the club's stadium, Camp Nou.[42] During his first year in Spain, Messi rarely played with the Infantiles due to a transfer conflict with Newell's; as a foreigner, he could only be fielded in friendlies and the Catalan league. Without football, he struggled to integrate into the team. He was reserved by nature, and was so quiet that some of his teammates initially believed he was mute. At home, he suffered from homesickness after his mother moved back to Rosario with his brothers and younger sister, María Sol, while he stayed in Barcelona with his father.[C] At age 13, Messi enrolled at Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia. After a year at Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, Messi was finally enrolled in the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in February 2002. Now he could play in all competitions, and quickly befriended his teammates, including Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué.[44] After completing his growth hormone therapy at 14,[45] Messi became an integral part of the "Baby Dream Team", Barcelona's greatest-ever youth side. During his first full season (2002–03), he was the top scorer with 36 goals in 30 games for the Cadetes A, who won an unprecedented treble of the league, the Spanish cup, and the Copa Catalunya.[44][46] In the Copa Catalunya final, their 4–1 victory over Espanyol became referred to in club lore as the partido de la máscara, the final of the mask. A week after suffering a broken cheekbone during a league match, Messi was allowed to start the game on the condition that he wear a protective plastic mask. When the mask became a hindrance, Messi took it off and scored two goals in 10 minutes.[47] At the close of the season, he received an offer to join Arsenal, his first from a foreign club. Although Fàbregas and Piqué soon left for England with their own offers, Messi chose to remain in Barcelona.[D] Messi continued to progress through his club's ranks at a rapid pace, debuting for four youth teams during the 2003–04 season.[50] After being named player of the tournament in four separate international pre-season competitions with the Juvenil B, he played only one official match with the team before being promoted to the Juvenil A. In the Juvenil A he scored 18 goals in 11 league games.[51][52] During the international break, Messi was one of several youth players called up to strengthen the depleted first team. Ludovic Giuly, one of Barcelona's wingers, described Messi's performance during a training session: "He destroyed us all ... He would dribble past four players and score a goal. Even the team's starting centre-backs were nervous ... He was an alien."[53] "It seemed as if he had been playing with us all his life." — Barcelona's then assistant coach Henk ten Cate on Messi's first-team debut.[54] At 16 years old, Messi made his first-team debut when he came on in the 75th minute during a friendly against FC Porto on 16 November 2003.[42][55] His performance impressed the technical staff, and he subsequently began training daily with the club's reserve side, Barcelona B, as well as weekly with the first team.[56] After Messi's first training session with the senior squad, Barcelona's new star player Ronaldinho told his teammates that he believed the 16-year-old would become an even better player than himself.[57] Ronaldinho called Messi "little brother", and his friendship greatly eased Messi's transition onto the first team.[58][59] To gain further match experience, Messi joined his club's third team, Barcelona C, in addition to the Juvenil A. He helped save the third team from the relegation zone of the Tercera División, scoring five goals in ten games, including a hat-trick in eight minutes during a Copa del Rey Juvenil match.[51][60] His progress was reflected in his first professional contract, signed on 4 February 2004, which lasted until 2012 and contained an initial buyout clause of €30 million. A month later, he made his debut for Barcelona B in the Segunda División B, and his buyout clause automatically increased to €80 million.[51][61] He played five games with the B team that season but did not score.[62] He was physically weaker than his opponents, who were often much older and taller, and he worked on increasing his muscle mass and overall strength. Towards the end of the season, he returned to both youth teams, helping the Juvenil B win the league. He finished the campaign having scored goals for four of his five teams, with a total of 36 goals in all official competitions.[51][60] Club career Main article: Career of Lionel Messi § Club career Barcelona 2004–2008: Rise to the first team In 2004, Messi (pictured in 2005) began his 17-year professional career with FC Barcelona Messi began the 2004–05 season as a guaranteed starter for the Barcelona B team, but after some lobbying by the senior players, he was promoted to the first team by manager Frank Rijkaard.[57] He made his La Liga debut for Barcelona on 16 October 2004, at 17 years old.[42] He scored his first senior goal on 1 May 2005, becoming the youngest-ever scorer for the club at the time.[63][64] He was at that time the youngest player to represent Barcelona in an official competition, and the club won the league title during that season.[59][65] On his 18th birthday, Messi signed his first contract as a senior team player, which kept him with Barcelona through 2010, and had a release clause of €150 million.[66] Three months later, as his performance continued to make waves, his contract was updated to double his salary and keep him with the club until 2014.[61][67] By the end of the 2005–06 season, Barcelona had won La Liga again as well as the UEFA Champions League.[68][69] During the 2006–07 season, Messi scored his first hat-trick during a game against Real Madrid, becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in a Clásico in 12 years.[70] Two goals scored by Messi against Getafe and Espanyol during the season drew notice for their similarities to two famous goals scored by fellow Argentine Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup match against England, leading to comparisons between Messi and Maradona that would endure throughout Messi's career.[E] Barcelona finished the 2006–07 season with only one trophy – the 2006 Supercopa de España – and the 2007–08 season without a single trophy, leading to Rijkaard's departure.[74] 2008–2012: Success under Pep Guardiola At the beginning of the 2008–09 season – his first under Barcelona's new manager, former captain Pep Guardiola – Messi was given the number 10 shirt.[75] Over time, he effectively became the tactical focal point of Guardiola's strategy, increasing his goalscoring rate as a result.[76] During that season, Messi scored 38 goals, and alongside Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry, contributed to a total of 100 goals in all competitions, a record at the time for the club.[77][78] Messi played in his first final as Barcelona won the Copa del Rey.[79] Barcelona also won the La Liga title and the Champions League, thus achieving the first treble in the history of Spanish football.[80] During the first half of the 2009–10 season, Barcelona won the Supercopa de España, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, becoming the first club to achieve the sextuple.[81][82] Messi finished as the Champions League top scorer, the youngest in the tournament's history.[83][84] For his efforts in 2009, Messi won the Ballon d'Or, the FIFA World Player of the Year award and his first European Golden Shoe.[F] He scored a total of 47 goals in all competitions, equalling Ronaldo's club record from the 1996–97 campaign.[88][85] He signed a new 7-year contract with Barcelona through 2016.[66] During the 2010–11 season, Barcelona won the Supercopa de España,[89] the Champions League,[90] and a third consecutive La Liga title. Messi's club performances in 2010 earned him his second consecutive Ballon d'Or.[91] He was the top scorer in the Champions League for the third consecutive year,[92] and the league's top scorer and assist provider.[93][94] He became Barcelona's all-time single-season top scorer with 53 goals.[G] During the 2011–12 season Barcelona won both the Spanish and European Super Cup trophies, and the FIFA Club World Cup.[H] Messi won the Golden Ball for the second time[99] and the Ballon d'Or for the third time,[100] as well as the inaugural UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.[101] During the year 2012, Messi became the second player to be top scorer in four Champions League campaigns.[102][103] He became the top goalscorer in Barcelona's history at 24 years old, overtaking César Rodríguez's 57-year record of 232 goals.[104] He finished the season as the league top scorer in Spain for the second time with 50 goals, a La Liga record. His 73 goals in all competitions made him the single-season top scorer in the history of European club football excluding regional and local competitions.[105][106] Barcelona won the Copa del Rey that season, their 14th trophy under Guardiola, who resigned after a four-year cycle of success.[107] 2012–2014: Record-breaking year and Messidependencia For the start of the 2012–13 season, Barcelona had virtually secured their La Liga title by the start of 2013.[108] A double scored against Real Betis saw Messi becoming Barcelona's all-time top scorer in La Liga, and surpassed Gerd Müller's record of most goals scored in a calendar year; Messi scored a record 91 goals in all competitions for Barcelona and Argentina throughout 2012.[109][110] Messi again won the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming the first player in history to win the Ballon d'Or four times.[110][111] He signed a new contract committing himself to the club through 2018, and wore the captain's armband for the first time in a league match against Rayo Vallecano.[I] The team won La Liga again that year, Messi's sixth, equalling Real Madrid's 100-point record of the previous season. With 60 goals in all competitions, including 46 goals in La Liga, he finished the campaign as league top scorer in Spain and Europe for the second consecutive year, becoming the first player in history to win the European Golden Shoe three times.[115] Messi's overall input into the team's attack had increased significantly. Whereas he contributed to 24% of the team's goals in their treble-winning campaign in 2008–09, this number rose to more than 40% by the end of the 2012–13 season.[116] These statistics, as well as lopsided losses in the Champions League where Messi was unfit, gave credence to the notion of Messidependencia, Barcelona's perceived tactical and psychological dependence on their star player.[117] To offset the load on Messi, Barcelona signed Brazilian forward Neymar from Santos before the 2013–14 season.[118] The team won the Supercopa de España at the beginning of the season.[119] Messi finished the campaign with his worst output in five seasons, though he still managed to score 41 goals in all competitions.[120] For the first time in five years, Barcelona ended the season without a major trophy.[121] 2014–2017: Arrival of Luis Enrique and birth of MSN Messi dribbling past Patrice Evra of Juventus during the 2015 UEFA Champions League final Barcelona hired coach Luis Enrique before the 2014–15 season, and continued to aid Messi in the attack by signing Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez, who had won the European Golden Shoe the year before at Liverpool.[122][123] Luis Enrique's system featured quick transitions from defence to attack, led by the front three of Messi, Suárez and Neymar. The attacking trio, which colloquially became known as 'MSN', broke goalscoring records.[124] A hat-trick scored against Sevilla earlier in the season also made him the all-time top scorer in La Liga, as he surpassed the 59-year record of 251 league goals held by Telmo Zarra.[125] After securing the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League that year, Messi helped Barcelona become the first club to win the continental treble twice.[126][127] He recorded 58 goals, but combined with Neymar and Suárez, the attacking trio scored a total of 122 goals in all competitions that season, a record in Spanish football.[128] Messi opened the 2015–16 season by helping Barcelona's win over Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup.[129] Messi capped off the year by winning the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup final over River Plate in Yokohama, collecting his fifth club trophy of the calendar year.[130] On 11 January 2016, Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for a record fifth time in his career.[131] He ended the season by winning La Liga as well as the Copa del Rey again.[132] In total, Messi scored 41 goals, and Barcelona's attacking trio of him, Neymar and Suárez managed a Spanish record of 131 combined goals throughout the season, breaking the record they had set the previous season.[133] The 2016–17 season ended with Barcelona winning the Supercopa de España and the Copa del Rey.[134][135] Messi finished the season with 54 goals, while his 37 goals in La Liga saw him claim both the Pichichi and European Golden Shoe Awards for the fourth time in his career.[136] 2017–2021: Final years at Barcelona Messi, wearing the captain's armband, against Real Valladolid in 2018 Messi signed a new deal with Barcelona on 25 November 2017, keeping him with the club through 2021.[137] The 2017–18 season saw Barcelona winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey once again.[138] Messi again finished the season as the top scorer in La Liga, with 34 goals, and won his fifth European Golden Shoe award.[139] With the departure of captain Andrés Iniesta in May 2018, Messi was named the team's new captain for the 2018–19 season.[140] He lifted his first trophy as Barcelona's captain, the Supercopa de España, following a 2–1 victory over Sevilla. He also helped Barcelona clinch the La Liga title.[141] With 36 goals in 34 appearances that season, Messi won his sixth La Liga Golden Shoe trophy.[142][143] He also captured his sixth European Golden Shoe award, setting a record for winning the award three seasons in a row.[144] Messi won his sixth Ballon d'Or, but the subsequent 2019–20 season saw Barcelona go trophyless for the first time since 2007–08.[145] Following a disappointing season, Messi expressed to the club his desire to leave, but ultimately decided to fulfill the final year of his contract.[146][147] In 2021, he led Barcelona to victory in the Copa del Rey.[148][149] His last two seasons with Barcelona saw him lead La Liga in goal scoring, giving him a record-breaking total of eight Pichichi trophies.[150][151] Although Messi became a free agent after his contract expired, he was hoping to stay with Barcelona, even though the club was facing immense financial challenges due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.[152][153] Following initial progress in contract negotiations, Messi was expecting to sign a new contract with a 50% salary cut, but Barcelona surprised him by announcing that it could not re-sign him, citing financial constraints and structural obstacles posed by La Liga regulations.[154][155] On 8 August, 2021, Messi held a tearful press conference at Camp Nou, confirming that he would leave the club.[156] Paris Saint-Germain Messi (middle) with Paris Saint-Germain teammates Kylian Mbappé (left) and Neymar On 10 August 2021, two days after his farewell remarks to Barcelona, Messi joined the Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a two-year contract with an option for an extra year.[157][158] He chose 30 as his squad number, which is the number he wore when he made his senior debut for Barcelona.[159] He scored his first goal for the club in a Champions League group stage win over former manager Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.[160] After finishing the year with 40 goals at the club and international levels and leading Argentina to victory in the 2021 Copa América, Messi won a record seventh Ballon d'Or.[161] He finished his debut season with PSG with 11 goals and 14 assists, and helped the club win their 10th Ligue 1 title.[162] Near the start of the 2022–23 season, Messi won his second trophy with PSG in the Trophée des Champions.[163] A goal against Nice saw him surpass Cristiano Ronaldo as the all-time highest goalscorer in European club football with 702 goals; during the match, he also achieved 1,000 career direct goal contributions at club level.[164][165] By the end of the season, he had 21 goals across all competitors and the highest number of assists in the league with 16,[166][167] which helped PSG clinch their 11th Ligue 1 title and his second in a row.[168] After two years with Paris Saint-Germain, Messi departed the club.[169] Inter Miami Messi with Inter Miami in 2025 On 15 July 2023, the Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami CF announced the signing of Messi on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[170][171] Messi's pay set an MLS record, with his earnings from salary, signing bonus, and an equity stake in the club reportedly surpassing $50 million.[172] According to Goal, Messi's arrival in the United States helped to raise the profile of MLS within the US and abroad. Inter Miami co-president Xavier Asensi said that for MLS "there is a before and after Messi. He has changed everything." After Messi joined Inter Miami, the club's games began selling out.[173][174] The frenzy over his arrival was dubbed "Messimania", and Inter Miami's No. 10 Messi jersey became the best-selling jersey in the league, and nearly the best-selling in the world.[175] Messi was made the team captain of his new club, and began the 2023 season by scoring nine goals in his first six games. He led Inter Miami to their first-ever trophy as they defeated Nashville SC in the Leagues Cup final.[176][177] Miami missed the MLS playoffs, however, finishing second to last in the Eastern Conference.[178] On 30 October 2023, following his World Cup win with Argentina and Ligue 1 trophy with Paris Saint-Germain, Messi was awarded a record eighth Ballon d'Or.[179] He was named Time Athlete of the Year, the first footballer ever to win the award.[180] During the 2024 season, Messi broke the record for the most assists in a single MLS game with five assists.[181] On 2 October, he scored two goals in a 3–2 win over the Columbus Crew, clinching the Supporters' Shield award for Miami.[182] In the final game of the season, Messi scored his first hat-trick for the club in a 6–2 victory. Miami finished the regular season with 74 points, an MLS league record, while Messi finished with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 matches, becoming the all-time top goalscorer for the young team.[183][184] Miami made its first postseason appearance in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs but was eliminated in the first round.[185] Messi was named the MLS Most Valuable Player for the season.[186] During the 2025 season, Messi became the fastest player in MLS history to reach 40 league goals.[187] He ended the season by winning the MLS Golden Boot as the league's top scorer, with 29 goals and 19 assists in 28 games.[186] On 23 October, he signed a contract extension with the club through 2028, by which time he would be 41 years old.[188] During the Eastern Conference final against New York City FC in the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs, an assist from Messi put his career assists across all competitions at 405, surpassing Ferenc Puskás for the most career assists of all time.[189][190] Messi led Miami to MLS Cup 2025, where they won 3–1 over the Vancouver Whitecaps to win the team's first league championship. Providing two assists during the match, Messi was named MLS Cup MVP.[191] At the end of the season, Messi was again named MLS MVP, becoming the first player in league history to win the award in back-to-back years.[186] In March 2026 it was reported that Messi was earning between $70 and $80 million per year from Inter Miami from his compensation and equity rights.[192] On 18 March 2026, Messi scored his 900th career goal during Inter Miami's 1–1 draw with Nashville SC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. He became the second player to reach the mark in top-level men's football after Cristiano Ronaldo.[193][194] International career Main article: Career of Lionel Messi § International career As a citizen of both Argentina and Spain, Messi was eligible to play for both national teams.[195] He began his international career in 2004 with Argentina's U20 team, and was subsequently included in the squad for the 2005 South American U-20 Championship, in which they finished third.[196] Messi then led the team to victory in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. He finished the tournament with six goals and two assists, and won the Golden Ball.[J] Messi evades Brazil's Marcelo in the semi-final of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Messi made his debut with the senior national team in 2005, at age 18,[200] and scored his first international goal in a 2006 friendly against Croatia.[201][202] At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he became the youngest player to represent and score for Argentina in the World Cup.[203] Messi was named the best young player of the 2007 Copa América, during which he scored two goals and provided one assist.[204] At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Messi led Argentina's U23 team to claim the Olympic gold medal over Nigeria; he was singled out by FIFA as the stand-out player from the tournament's best team.[205] With the international retirement of Juan Román Riquelme in 2009, Messi was given Argentina's number 10 shirt.[206] Argentina built their team around Messi ahead of the 2011 Copa América, although Messi scored no goals during the tournament.[207][208] At 24 years old, Messi became captain of the national team, but over the next several years was unable to lead Argentina to a trophy.[209] During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Argentina lost to Germany in the final, though Messi was awarded the Golden Ball.[210][211] The following year, Argentina lost to Chile in the 2015 Copa América final; Messi was reportedly selected to receive the Golden Ball, but he rejected the honour.[212] During a semi-final match against the United States during the 2016 Copa América Centenario, Messi became Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer in international matches.[213] Argentina won the semi-final but lost again to Chile in the final.[214] Losing three finals in three consecutive years caused Messi to retire from international football, but a nationwide campaign in Argentina helped convince him to return to the national team to lead them to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.[214][215] Argentina were in jeopardy of missing the tournament on the last game of the qualifiers against Ecuador, but a hat-trick from Messi secured their entry.[216] They went on to lose to France in the round of 16 during the World Cup, with Messi having one goal and two assists in the tournament.[217] The next year, Messi had only a single goal and one assist in the 2019 Copa América. Argentina finished the tournament in third place after defeating Chile, a victory which marked the start of a 36-game winning streak for the team that lasted for more than three years.[218][219] Messi facing off against Érick Gutiérrez of Mexico in the 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage Messi led his team to the end of a 28-year trophy drought in the 2021 Copa América, during which he surpassed Javier Mascherano for most international appearances for Argentina.[220][221] Messi's team defeated Brazil in the final, and he was named the player of the tournament, having either scored or assisted nine of Argentina's 12 goals.[220] He led Argentina to another victory at the 2022 Finalissima, where he was named player of the match.[222] At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Messi led Argentina to its first World Cup victory in 36 years, scoring twice in the final to defeat France.[223] Having scored seven goals and assisted three during the tournament, Messi again won the World Cup's Golden Ball, becoming the first player to win it twice.[224] A hat-trick in a 2023 friendly against Curaçao saw Messi reach 100 international goals, the third player and the first South American in history to achieve the milestone. Later that year, he became the all-time top goalscorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers.[225][226] In 2024, Argentina won the Copa América for a second consecutive time,[227] with Messi setting a new record for most appearances at Copa América, with 39.[228] After providing two assists in a friendly against Puerto Rico later that year, Messi became the top assist-provider in men's international football history.[229][230] Player profile Style of play Messi prepares to shoot with his dominant left foot in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final. Due to his short stature, Messi has a lower centre of gravity than taller players, which gives him greater agility and allows him to change direction more quickly and evade opposing tackles;[231][232] the Spanish media has dubbed him La Pulga Atómica ("The Atomic Flea").[K] Despite being physically unimposing, Messi possesses significant upper-body strength, which, when combined with his low centre of gravity and resulting balance, aids him in withstanding physical challenges from opponents; he has consequently been noted for his lack of diving in a sport rife with playacting.[L] Messi's short, strong legs allow him short bursts of acceleration, while his quick feet enable him to retain control of the ball when dribbling at speed.[237] His former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola once stated, "Messi is the only player that runs faster with the ball than he does without it."[238] Messi is predominantly a left-footed player, although he has improved his ability with his weaker right foot since his mid-20s. He usually begins dribbling runs with the outside of his left foot, while using the inside of that foot to score and provide passes and assists.[239][240] A prolific goalscorer, Messi is known for his positioning, quick reactions, and ability to make attacking runs to beat the defensive line. He also functions in a playmaking role, courtesy of his vision and range of passing.[241] He has often been described as a magician, conjuring goals and opportunities where none seemingly exist.[M] He is known for the accuracy of his free kicks and penalty kicks, and as of March 2026 he ranks second in career goals scored from direct free kicks with 71.[N] He also has a penchant for scoring from chips.[248] Messi's dribbling abilities allow him to weave past several defenders and orchestrate attacking plays. Messi's pace and technical ability enable him to undertake individual dribbling runs towards the goal, in particular during counterattacks, usually starting from the halfway line or the right side of the pitch.[O] He is widely considered to be one of the greatest dribblers of all time.[250][251] Former Argentina manager Diego Maradona said of him, "The ball stays glued to his foot ... I've never seen anyone with Messi's ball control."[240] Beyond Messi's individual qualities, he is also a well-rounded, hard-working team player, known for his creative combinations, in particular with former Barcelona midfielders Xavi and Andrés Iniesta.[231][232] As his career advanced and his athleticism and tendency to dribble diminished slightly with age, Messi began to dictate play in deeper areas of the pitch and developed into one of the best passers and playmakers in football history.[P] His work-rate off the ball and defensive responsibilities have decreased as his career has progressed; by covering less ground on the pitch, and instead conserving his energy for short bursts of speed, he has been able to improve his efficiency, movement, and positional play, and has been able to avoid muscular injuries. While he was injury-prone in his early career, he was able to decrease his injury count by running less off the ball, and by adopting a stricter diet, training regime, and sleep schedule.[255] Tactical positioning A versatile forward, Messi often plays as a classic number 10. Tactically, Messi plays in a free attacking role; a versatile player, he is capable of attacking on either wing or through the centre of the pitch. His favoured position in childhood was the playmaker behind two strikers, known as the enganche in Argentine football, but he began his career in Spain as a left-winger or left-sided forward.[256] Upon his first-team debut, he was moved onto the right wing by manager Frank Rijkaard; from this position, he could more easily cut through the defence into the middle of the pitch and curl shots on goal with his left foot, rather than predominantly cross balls for teammates.[238] Under Guardiola and subsequent managers, he most often played in a false nine role; positioned as a centre-forward or lone striker, he roamed the centre, often moving deep into midfield and drawing defenders with him, in order to create and exploit spaces for passes, other teammates' attacking runs off the ball, his own dribbling runs, or combinations with Xavi and Iniesta.[43] Under the stewardship of Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, Messi returned to playing in the right-sided position that characterised much of his early career. He played in the manager's 4–3–3 formation,[257][258] and was increasingly deployed in a deeper, free playmaking role in later seasons.[259][260] Under Ernesto Valverde, Messi played in a variety of roles. While he was still occasionally deployed in a deeper role—from which he could make runs into the box, on the right wing or as a false nine— he was also used in a more offensive, central role in a 4–2–3–1.[261][260] He was also used as a second striker in a 4–4–2 formation, where he was once again given the licence to drop deep, link up with midfielders, orchestrate his team's attacking plays, and create chances for his attacking partner Luis Suárez.[262][263] With the Argentina national team, Messi has similarly played anywhere along the frontline. Under various managers, he has been employed on the right wing, as a false nine, as an out-and-out striker, in a supporting role alongside another forward, or in a deeper, free creative role as a classic number 10 playmaker or attacking midfielder behind the strikers.[264][265] Reception Messi is widely regarded as one of the two best players of his generation, alongside Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo.[266] He is also considered one of the greatest footballers in the history of the sport.[267] In 2025, he was named the All Time Men's World Best Player by the IFFHS.[268] A prodigious talent as a teenager, Messi established himself among the world's best players before age 20.[269] Shortly after teammate Ronaldinho won the 2005 Ballon d'Or, he commented, "I'm not even the best at Barça" in reference to his 18-year-old protégé.[270] Four years later, after Messi won his first Ballon d'Or by a record margin,[87] the public debate regarding his qualities as a player moved beyond his status in contemporary football to the possibility that he was one of the greatest players in history.[Q] An early proponent was his then-Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola, who, as early as August 2009, described Messi as the best player he had ever seen and would ever see.[272] In the following years, this opinion gained greater acceptance among pundits, managers, former and current players.[95][273] By the end of Barcelona's second treble-winning season, the perception of Messi as one of the greatest footballers of all time had become the apparent view among many fans and pundits in continental Europe.[274][275] Messi received dismissals by critics throughout his career because he had not won an international tournament at the senior level with Argentina.[R] However, his subsequent victories in the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup resulted in him finally winning every top tier trophy at both the club and country levels, an achievement that many pundits felt cemented Messi's legacy.[267] Comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo Main article: Messi–Ronaldo rivalry Messi has been compared with Cristiano Ronaldo (left) throughout much of their careers. Among his contemporary peers, Messi is most often compared and contrasted with Cristiano Ronaldo, who many consider his career rival.[266] Both achieved numerous individual accolades, won dozens of trophies for both club and country, and are the two leading goal scorers in history. Although Messi has at times denied any rivalry,[279][280] they are widely believed to push one another in their aim to be the best player in the world.[281] Pundits have compared the ongoing rivalry to past sports rivalries like the Muhammad Ali–Joe Frazier rivalry in boxing, the Prost–Senna rivalry in motorsport, and the tennis rivalries between Federer–Nadal and Borg–McEnroe.[282] Fans and pundits alike regularly argue the individual merits of both players.[281][283] Messi is lauded for his combination of dribbling, playmaking, passing and goalscoring, while Ronaldo has received praise for his exceptional speed and athleticism, goalscoring skills, and performance under pressure.[284][285] Beyond their playing styles, the debate also revolves around their differing physiques – Ronaldo is 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) with a muscular build, while Messi is much shorter at 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) – and their contrasting public personalities, with Ronaldo's self-confidence and theatrics differing from Messi's humility.[286] Regarding individual achievements, Messi has won eight Ballons d'Or to Ronaldo's five,[287] eight FIFA World's Best Player awards to Ronaldo's five, and six European Golden Shoes to Ronaldo's four.[288] Off the pitch, Ronaldo is his direct competitor in terms of salary, sponsorships, and social media fanbase.[289] Messi's head-to-head record against teams that feature Ronaldo consists of 15 wins, 9 draws, and 10 losses in competitive club matches. The first competitive matchup between the two occurred in 2008, when Ronaldo's Manchester United played Messi's Barcelona in the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League semi-finals; Manchester United advanced and eventually won the final.[290] The two players and their club teams met again in the next year's Champions League final, with Messi and Barcelona achieving a 2–0 victory.[291] After this, Ronaldo transferred to Real Madrid, the main rivals of Barcelona, which resulted in Messi facing Ronaldo many times in El Clásico, which ranks among the world's most viewed annual sports events.[292][289] A number of football critics, commentators, and players have said that Messi's triumph with Argentina in the 2022 World Cup has settled the contest between the two players.[S] Comparisons with Diego Maradona Main article: New Maradona "I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentinian football and his name is Messi." — Diego Maradona hailing the 18-year-old Messi as his successor in February 2006[296] Throughout his career, Messi has been compared with Diego Maradona, who was also considered the best player of his generation and one of the greatest in the history of the sport.[297][298] The comparisons stem broadly from both players' short statures, their similar playing styles as left-footed playmakers, and their shared nationality as Argentines.[299] Initially, Messi was merely one of many young Argentine players to receive the "New Maradona" moniker, but as his career progressed, he proved his similarity beyond all previous contenders, establishing himself as the best player Argentina had produced since Maradona.[40][300] When Messi was 18 years old, Maradona called him the best player in the world and hailed him as his successor.[296] From 2008 through the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Messi played for Argentina's national team while Maradona managed the team, and it was during this period that Messi was given the number 10 shirt that Maradona famously wore. Maradona gave Messi his blessing, telling him: "the No 10 is yours. There's nobody better than you to wear it."[206] Due to their similar size and style of play, Messi has frequently been compared to his compatriot Diego Maradona. During the early and middle parts of Messi's career, he was generally held in lesser esteem than Maradona in Argentine society. Part of this had to do with Messi's lack of tournament success and perceived uneven output with the national team; Maradona had famously led Argentina to victory in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, which set an expectation for Messi to do the same.[T] Argentines also identified more with the fiery, extroverted and controversial Maradona who came from the slums, as opposed to the reserved, introverted and unassuming Messi who had a comparably unremarkable upbringing in Rosario.[U] Maradona, along with several pundits and footballing figures, questioned whether Messi's temperament made him a capable leader for the national team.[V] Furthermore, Messi's lack of outward passion for the Argentina shirt, his early tendency not to sing the national anthem, and his relative lack of emotional displays have led to a perception that he feels more Catalan than Argentine.[208][305] However, despite having lived in Barcelona since age 13, Messi rejected the option of representing Spain internationally, saying: "Argentina is my country, my family, my way of expressing myself. I would change all my records to make the people in my country happy."[306] Football journalist Tim Vickery said the perception of Messi among Argentines changed in 2019, when Messi made a conscious effort to become "more one of the group, more Argentine".[305] Other pundits noted that Messi had grown more assertive as a leader during the 2019 Copa América by becoming more vocal with his teammates both on and off the pitch, finally singing the national anthem with the team before matches, and speaking with journalists at length after matches.[307] Following Argentina's 2022 World Cup win, Vickery felt that Messi would now be held in the same esteem by his compatriots as Maradona.[305] Journalist and former footballer Jorge Valdano said he saw a "Maradonian" edge to Messi's performances during the tournament, while his compatriot Osvaldo Ardiles said that Messi's provocative actions towards the Netherlands team during the quarter-final resembled Maradona's behavior, which further endeared Messi to his fellow Argentines.[308][309] Messi himself later remarked that the World Cup victory "won over all the people of Argentina. Today 95% or 100% of Argentines love me and that's a beautiful feeling."[310] Cultural impact Popularity Messi's success on the pitch has earned him lucrative endorsement deals along with widespread recognition and popularity. Messi was among the Time 100, an annual list of the world's most influential people, in 2011, 2012 and 2023.[W] According to a 2014 survey in 15 international markets, Messi was familiar to 87% of respondents around the world, of whom 78% perceived him favourably, making him the second-most recognised player globally, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, and the most likeable of all contemporary players.[314][315] World Press Photo selected "The Final Game", a photo of Messi facing the World Cup trophy after Argentina's final defeat to Germany, as the best sports image of 2014.[316] Messi's fanbase on Facebook is among the largest of public figures: by July 2023, he had more than 114 million followers, the second highest for an athlete after Cristiano Ronaldo.[317][318] Messi has over 500 million Instagram followers, the second highest for an individual and athlete after Ronaldo.[319] Messi's World Cup celebration post from 18 December 2022 is the most liked post on Instagram with more than 75 million likes.[320] In April 2023, Messi was featured in the Thrissur Pooram festival in Kerala, India.[321][322] In December 2023, a set of shirts Messi had worn during the 2022 World Cup was sold at auction for $7.8 million.[323] During an exhibition match on 4 February 2024 between Inter Miami and Hong Kong League players at Hong Kong Stadium, Messi remained on the bench the entire game. His absence from the pitch caused massive backlash in Hong Kong and China, as thousands of spectators had hoped to see him play.[324] One Messi commercial was taken off the air in those regions,[325] while other commercials continued to air despite pressure from Chinese social-media users.[X] The Chinese Football Association temporarily halted its partnership with the Argentine Football Association over the incident.[329] Wealth and sponsorships Messi was the world's highest-paid footballer for five out of six years between 2009 and 2014. His salary broke records in 2013 (€41 million) and 2014 (€65 million).[330][331] Forbes listed him as the world's second highest-paid athlete in 2016, and as the world's highest-paid athlete in 2019.[Y] In 2018, he was the first player to exceed the €100 million benchmark for a calendar year, with earnings of €126 million in combined income from salaries, bonuses and endorsements.[335][336] In 2020, Messi became the second footballer to surpass $1 billion in career earnings.[337] In addition to salary and bonuses, much of Messi's income comes from endorsements. His brand was at first based exclusively on his talents and achievements as a player, in contrast to arguably more glamorous players like Ronaldo and David Beckham. At the start of his career, Messi mainly held sponsorship contracts with companies that employed sports-oriented marketing, such as Adidas and Pepsi.[338][339] Since 2006, Adidas has been his largest sponsor, and he eventually became the company's leading brand endorser.[340][289] Starting in 2010, Messi's marketing appeal broadened as he reached higher achievements as a player. He signed long-term endorsement deals with luxury brands Dolce & Gabbana and Audemars Piguet,[339][341] and became a brand ambassador for Gillette, Turkish Airlines, Ooredoo, and Tata Motors, among other companies.[Z] Messi has also been the face of two video game series: Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer and EA Sports' FIFA.[346][347] Messi's Argentina jersey, supplied by Adidas, was sold out worldwide during the 2022 World Cup.[348] SportsPro cited Messi as one of the world's most marketable athletes every year between 2010 and 2015.[349] He became the first footballer to receive his own sub-brand of Adidas boots, the Adidas Messi, in 2015.[350][351] The same year, a Barcelona jersey with Messi's name and number was the best-selling replica jersey worldwide.[352] During the 2022 World Cup, Adidas sold out of Messi's No. 10 Argentina jersey worldwide.[348] In 2013, a Turkish Airlines advertisement starring Messi and Kobe Bryant became the most-watched advertisement on YouTube, with 137 million views. It was voted by users as the best advertisement of the decade 2005–2015.[353][354] In June 2021, Messi signed a five-year deal to become a brand ambassador for Hard Rock Cafe,[355] and the following year he became a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia. He was criticised for partnering with Saudi Arabia because of the country's poor record on human rights.[356][357] Public art One of many street art displays depicting Messi Street art and public murals depicting Messi have been painted around the world.[358][359] One prominent work of art is the Sistine Chapel of Football, a parody of Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam that features Messi, Diego Maradona and several other Argentine footballers. The work is exhibited at the Sportivo Pereyra club in Barracas, Buenos Aires.[360] Madame Tussauds unveiled a wax sculpture of Messi at Wembley Stadium in 2012.[361] Several days after Messi announced his retirement from Argentina's national team in June 2016, a bronze statue of him was erected in Buenos Aires in an attempt to convince him to return.[362][363] Following Argentina's 2022 World Cup victory, a life-sized statue of Messi holding the World Cup trophy was unveiled outside the CONMEBOL headquarters in Luque, Paraguay in March 2023. The statue of Messi stands alongside statues of Pelé and Maradona.[364] On 13 December 2025, during Messi's tour of India, a 70-foot (21-metre) statue of Messi holding the World Cup trophy was unveiled at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, Kolkata.[365] Media Messi, a documentary directed by Álex de la Iglesia, premiered at the 71st Venice International Film Festival in August 2014.[366] Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend, a biographical docuseries focusing on Messi's career, his highs and lows with the Argentina national football team, and their eventual success at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, aired on Apple TV+ on 21 February 2024.[367] Business ventures On 4 June 2024, Messi announced the release of Más+, an American brand of sports drinks and energy drinks.[368] Messi created the drinks because he could not find a flavourful and healthy hydration option that suited his needs.[AA] On 19 September, Messi launched the production company 525 Rosario, which will produce films, sporting events coverage and branded commercials for athletes worldwide. It is a joint venture with Smuggler Entertainment, which co-produced Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend earlier in 2024.[371] In 2025, Messi was invited by his Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez to play a role in Deportivo LSM, the Uruguayan professional football club that Suárez founded.[372] On 16 April 2026, Messi acquired full ownership of the Spanish football club UE Cornellà.[373] Philanthropy Throughout his career, Messi has been involved in charitable efforts aimed at children, a commitment that stems in part from the medical difficulties he faced in his own childhood. Since 2004, he has contributed his time and finances to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), an organisation that has also collaborated with FC Barcelona.[374][375] Messi has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2010; he completed his first field mission for the organisation that year as he travelled to Haiti to bring awareness to the plight of the country's children following the 2010 Haiti earthquake. He has since participated in UNICEF campaigns related to HIV prevention, education, and the social inclusion of disabled children.[376] In November 2013, Messi and his one-year-old son Thiago were part of a publicity campaign to raise awareness of mortality rates among disadvantaged children.[377] In 2007, Messi launched the Leo Messi Foundation, which supports access to health care, education, and sport for children.[378] It was established following Messi's visit to a hospital in Boston for terminally ill children, an experience that resonated with him to the point that he decided to reinvest part of his earnings into society.[379] Through his foundation, Messi has awarded research grants, financed medical training, and invested in the development of medical centres and projects in Argentina, Spain, and elsewhere in the world.[379][380] In addition to receiving funds from Messi's own fundraising activities, the foundation receives financial support from various companies which have endorsement agreements with Messi, with Adidas as the main sponsor.[381][382] A gold replica of Messi's left foot, weighing 25 kg (55 lb) and valued at $5.3 million, went on sale in Japan in 2013 to raise funds for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[383] Messi has invested in youth football in Argentina. He supports Sarmiento, a football club based in the Rosario neighbourhood where he was born, and in 2013 he committed to the refurbishment of the club's facilities and the installation of all-weather pitches. Messi also financially supports the management of several youth players at Newell's Old Boys (his boyhood club) and rival club Rosario Central, as well as at River Plate and Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires.[379] In 2012, Messi funded the construction of a new gymnasium and a dormitory inside Newell's stadium for their youth academy. His youth coach at Newell's, Ernesto Vecchio, is employed by the Leo Messi Foundation as a talent scout for young players.[33] On 7 June 2016, Messi won a libel case against La Razón newspaper and was awarded €65,000 in damages, which he donated to the charity Médecins Sans Frontières.[384] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Messi and his FC Barcelona teammates announced they would take a 70% salary cut to offset the club's financial losses, and said they would make further contributions to ensure club employees received full salaries while unable to work.[385] Messi also donated €1 million to fight the spread of COVID-19.[386][387] In November 2016, while the Argentine Football Association was being run by a FIFA committee due to an economic crisis, three of the national team's security staff told Messi that they had not received their salaries for six months. He paid the salaries of the three employees.[388][389] In February 2021, Messi made a donation to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya: the Adidas shoes he wore when he scored his 644th goal for Barcelona and broke Pelé's record for most goals scored for a single club. The museum later auctioned off the shoes for £125,000 to support a charity focused on children with cancer.[390] Ahead of the 2021 Copa América, Messi donated three signed sweatshirts to the Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech – whose directors spoke of their admiration for Messi – in order to secure 50,000 doses of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac, in the hope of vaccinating all South American football players. The plan, which was brokered by Uruguay's president Luis Lacalle Pou, caused some controversy for its focus on football players, given widespread vaccine scarcity on the continent.[391] In January 2025, Messi was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States, for his contributions to healthcare and education programs for children around the world.[392][393] Personal life Family and relationships Since 2008, Messi has been in a relationship with Antonela Roccuzzo, who he eventually married on 30 June 2017 in their hometown of Rosario.[394][395] Roccuzzo is the cousin of Messi's childhood best friend, Lucas Scaglia, and Messi has known her since he was five years old.[396] After keeping their relationship private for a year, Messi first confirmed their romance in an interview in January 2009, before going public a month later during a carnival in Sitges after the Barcelona–Espanyol derby.[397] Messi and Roccuzzo have three sons. To celebrate Roccuzzo's first pregnancy, Messi placed the ball under his shirt after scoring in Argentina's 4–0 win against Ecuador on 2 June 2012, before confirming the pregnancy in an interview two weeks later.[398] The child, a son named Thiago, was born in Barcelona on 2 November 2012.[399] In April 2015, Messi confirmed that they were expecting another child.[400] In October 2017, his wife announced they were expecting their third child.[401] Messi and his family are Catholic.[402] Messi enjoys a close relationship with his immediate family members, particularly his mother, Celia, whose face he has tattooed on his left shoulder. His professional affairs are largely run as a family business: his father, Jorge, has been his agent since he was 14, and his oldest brother, Rodrigo, handles his daily schedule and publicity. His mother and other brother, Matías, manage his charitable organisation, the Leo Messi Foundation, and take care of personal and professional matters in Rosario.[403] Since leaving for Spain at age 13, Messi has maintained close ties to Rosario, even preserving his distinct Rosarino accent. He has retained ownership of his family's old house, although it has long stood empty, and he maintains a penthouse apartment in an exclusive residential building for his mother, as well as a family compound just outside the city. Messi keeps in frequent contact with a small group of confidants in Rosario, most of whom were fellow members of "The Machine of '87" at Newell's Old Boys. He was on bad terms with the club after his transfer to Barcelona, but by 2012 their public feud had ended, with Newell's embracing its ties with Messi and issuing a club membership card to his newborn son.[AB] Messi has long planned to return to Rosario to end his playing career at Newell's.[405] Messi has citizenship in Argentina, Italy, and Spain.[406] Tax fraud Messi came under investigation in 2013 for suspected tax evasion. Offshore companies in tax havens such as Uruguay, Switzerland and Belize were used to evade €4.1 million in taxes related to his sponsorship earnings between 2007 and 2009. Messi, who pleaded ignorance to the scheme, voluntarily paid arrears of €5.1 million in August 2013. On 6 July 2016, Messi and his father were both found guilty of tax fraud and were given suspended 21-month prison sentences and ordered to pay €1.7 million and €1.4 million in fines, respectively.[407] In court, Messi told the judge, "I just played football. I signed the contracts because I trusted my dad and the lawyers and we had decided that they would take charge of those things." An unrelated shell company in Panama set up in 2012 was subsequently identified as belonging to the Messis in the Panama Papers data leak.[408] Career statistics Club As of match played 2 May 2026 Appearances and goals by club, season and competition Club Season League National cup[a] Continental[b] Other Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Barcelona C 2003–04[409] Tercera División 10 5 — — — 10 5 Barcelona B 2003–04[410] Segunda División B 5 0 — — — 5 0 2004–05[411] Segunda División B 17 6 — — — 17 6 Total 22 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 6 Barcelona 2004–05[411] La Liga 7 1 1 0 1 0 — 9 1 2005–06[412] La Liga 17 6 2 1 6 1 0 0 25 8 2006–07[413] La Liga 26 14 2 2 5 1 3[c] 0 36 17 2007–08[414] La Liga 28 10 3 0 9 6 — 40 16 2008–09[415] La Liga 31 23 8 6 12 9 — 51 38 2009–10[416] La Liga 35 34 3 1 11 8 4[d] 4 53 47 2010–11[417] La Liga 33 31 7 7 13 12 2[e] 3 55 53 2011–12[418] La Liga 37 50 7 3 11 14 5[f] 6 60 73 2012–13[419] La Liga 32 46 5 4 11 8 2[e] 2 50 60 2013–14[420] La Liga 31 28 6 5 7 8 2[e] 0 46 41 2014–15[421] La Liga 38 43 6 5 13 10 — 57 58 2015–16[422] La Liga 33 26 5 5 7 6 4[g] 4 49 41 2016–17[423] La Liga 34 37 7 5 9 11 2[e] 1 52 54 2017–18[424] La Liga 36 34 6 4 10 6 2[e] 1 54 45 2018–19[425] La Liga 34 36 5 3 10 12 1[e] 0 50 51 2019–20[426] La Liga 33 25 2 2 8 3 1[e] 1 44 31 2020–21[427] La Liga 35 30 5 3 6 5 1[e] 0 47 38 Total 520 474 80 56 149 120 29 22 778 672 Paris Saint-Germain 2021–22[428] Ligue 1 26 6 1 0 7 5 — 34 11 2022–23[429] Ligue 1 32 16 1 0 7 4 1[h] 1 41 21 Total 58 22 2 0 14 9 1 1 75 32 Inter Miami 2023 MLS 6 1 1 0 — 7[i] 10 14 11 2024 MLS 19 20 — 3[j] 2 3[k] 1 25 23 2025 MLS 28 29 — 7[j] 5 14[l] 9 49 43 2026 MLS 10 8 — 2[j] 1 0 0 12 9 Total 63 58 1 0 12 8 24 20 100 86 Career total 673 565 83 56 175 137 54 43 985 801 Includes Copa del Rey, Coupe de France, U.S. Open Cup All appearances in UEFA Champions League, unless otherwise noted One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, two appearances in Supercopa de España One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance and two goals in Supercopa de España, two appearances and two goals in FIFA Club World Cup Appearance(s) in Supercopa de España One appearance and one goal in UEFA Super Cup, two appearances and three goals in Supercopa de España, two appearances and two goals in FIFA Club World Cup One appearance and two goals in UEFA Super Cup, two appearances and one goal in Supercopa de España, one appearance and one goal in FIFA Club World Cup Appearance in Trophée des Champions Appearances in Leagues Cup Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup Appearances in MLS Cup playoffs Four appearances and one goal in FIFA Club World Cup, four appearances and two goals in Leagues Cup, six appearances and six goals in MLS Cup playoffs International See also: List of international goals scored by Lionel Messi As of match played 31 March 2026 Appearances and goals by national team, year and competition Team Year Competitive Friendly Total Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Argentina U20[196][430] 2004 — 2 3 2 3 2005 16[a] 11 — 16 11 Total 16 11 2 3 18 14 Argentina U23[431][432] 2008 5[b] 2 — 5[α] 2 Total 5 2 0 0 5 2 Argentina[202][436] 2005 3[c] 0 2 0 5 0 2006 3[d] 1 4 1 7 2 2007 10[e] 4 4 2 14 6 2008 6[f] 1 2 1 8 2 2009 8[f] 1 2 2 10 3 2010 5[g] 0 5 2 10 2 2011 8[h] 2 5 2 13 4 2012 5[i] 5 4 7 9 12 2013 5[i] 3 2 3 7 6 2014 7[j] 4 7 4 14 8 2015 6[k] 1 2 3 8 4 2016 10[l] 8 1 0 11 8 2017 5[m] 4 2 0 7 4 2018 4[n] 1 1 3 5 4 2019 6[o] 1 4 4 10 5 2020 4[p] 1 — 4 1 2021 16[q] 9 — 16 9 2022 10[r] 8 4 10 14 18 2023 5[s] 3 3 5 8 8 2024 9[t] 4 2 2 11 6 2025 3[s] 2 2 1 5 3 2026 — 2 1 2 1 Total 138 63 60 53 198 116 Career total 159 74 62 56 221 132 Nine appearances and five goals in the 2005 South American U-20 Championship, seven appearances and six goals in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. Appearances in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Appearances in 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification. Appearances in 2006 FIFA World Cup. Six appearances and two goals in 2007 Copa América, four appearances and two goals in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. Appearances in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. Appearances in 2010 FIFA World Cup. Four appearances in 2011 Copa América, four appearances and two goals in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. Appearances in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. Appearances in 2014 FIFA World Cup. Appearances in 2015 Copa América. Five appearances and three goals in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, five appearances and five goals in Copa América Centenario. Appearances in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. Appearances in 2018 FIFA World Cup. Appearances in 2019 Copa América. Appearances in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. Nine appearances and five goals in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, seven appearances and four goals in 2021 Copa América. Two appearances and one goal in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, one appearance in 2022 Finalissima, seven appearances and seven goals in 2022 FIFA World Cup. Appearances in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. Five appearances and one goal in 2024 Copa América, four appearances and three goals in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. Honours For a comprehensive listing of Messi's achievements, see List of career achievements by Lionel Messi. Barcelona[11][12][22] La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19 Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21 Supercopa de España:[note 3] 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018 UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15 UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015 FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015 Paris Saint-Germain[12][22] Ligue 1: 2021–22, 2022–23 Trophée des Champions: 2022 Inter Miami[note 3][12][22] MLS Cup: 2025 Supporters' Shield: 2024 Leagues Cup: 2023 Argentina U20[12][22] FIFA World Youth Championship: 2005 Argentina U23[12][22] Olympic Games: 2008 Argentina[12][22] FIFA World Cup: 2022 Copa América: 2021, 2024 Finalissima: 2022 Individual Ballon d'Or: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023[note 2] FIFA World Player of the Year/FIFA Ballon d'Or/The Best FIFA Men's Player: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023[note 2] FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2014, 2022[12][437] FIFA World Cup Silver Boot: 2022 FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2009, 2011[12] FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball: 2005[12] FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Boot: 2005[12] UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2008–09 UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award: 2010–11, 2014–15 UEFA Champions League top scorer: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2018–19 European Golden Shoe: 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19[144][438] Copa América Golden Ball: 2015, 2021 Copa América Golden Boot: 2021 La Liga Best Player: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15,[AC] 2016–17,[442] 2017–18,[443] 2018–19[444][445] MLS Most Valuable Player: 2024, 2025[186] Pichichi Trophy: 2009−10, 2011–12, 2012−13, 2016–17, 2017−18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21 MLS Golden Boot: 2025[186] Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: 2020,[437] 2023[446] IFFHS World's Best Player: 2022[447] TIME Athlete of the Year: 2023[448] Ballon d'Or Dream Team: 2020[449] FIFPRO World 11: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023[450][451] Argentine Sportsperson of the Year: 2011, 2021, 2022, 2023[452] Argentine Footballer of the Year: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023[AD] Orders Creu de Sant Jordi, Catalonia (30 April 2019)[454] Presidential Medal of Freedom, United States (4 January 2025)[392][455] See also iconAssociation football portalflagArgentina portalBiography portal European Cup and UEFA Champions League records and statistics La Liga records and statistics List of Argentina international footballers List of association football rivalries List of FC Barcelona players List of FC Barcelona records and statistics List of Paris Saint-Germain FC players List of Inter Miami CF players List of FIFA World Cup winning players List of largest sports contracts List of men's footballers with 50 or more international goals List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps List of men's footballers with 500 or more goals List of men's footballers with the most official appearances List of players who have appeared in the most FIFA World Cups List of top international men's football goalscorers by country Notes Attributed to multiple references:[6][7][8] Attributed to multiple references:[33][34][35] Attributed to multiple references:[33][42][43] Attributed to multiple references:[42][48][49] Attributed to multiple references:[71][72][73] Attributed to multiple references:[85][86][87] Attributed to multiple references:[93][95][96] Attributed to multiple references:[97][98][99] Attributed to multiple references:[112][113][114] Attributed to multiple references:[197][198][199] Attributed to multiple references:[233][234][235] Attributed to multiple references:[33][232][236] Attributed to multiple references:[242][243][244] Attributed to multiple references:[245][246][247] Attributed to multiple references:[236][247][249] Attributed to multiple references:[252][253][254] Attributed to multiple references:[29][236][271] Attributed to multiple references:[276][277][278] Attributed to multiple references:[293][294][295] Attributed to multiple references:[276][297][301] Attributed to multiple references:[278][301][302] Attributed to multiple references:[276][303][304] Attributed to multiple references:[311][312][313] Attributed to multiple references:[326][327][328] Attributed to multiple references:[332][333][334] Attributed to multiple references:[342][343][344][345] Attributed to multiple references:[369][368][370] Attributed to multiple references:[33][379][404] Attributed to multiple references:[439][440][441] Attributed to multiple references:[439][437][453] Spanish: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾes ˈleo ˈmesi]; according to FCBarcelona.com, and his authorised biography, Messi by Guillem Balagué, his surname is the single "Messi", in accordance with Argentine customs.[2][3] Other sources, including a 2014 document by FIFA, give his surname as the double "Messi Cuccittini".[4] After winning a libel case in 2017, Messi's own management company stated: "The football player Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini has donated a total of €72,783.20 to the organisation Doctors Without Borders."[5] Messi received France Football's 2009 Ballon d'Or and FIFA's 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year award, prior to their six-year merger; he proceeded to win the newly formed award, the FIFA Ballon d'Or, four times: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015. Both organisations credited him with five (FIFA) Ballon d'Or awards.[A] He then went on to win the Ballon d'Or three more times – 2019, 2021, 2023 – again solely assigned by France Football, and won the newly established The Best FIFA Men's Player three times as well – 2019, 2022, 2023. France Football recognises him as a record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and FIFA recognises him as a record eight-time world's best player.[9][10] According to FC Barcelona,[11] FIFA,[12] the Royal Spanish Football Federation,[13] and multiple media outlets,[14][15][16] Messi also won the 2005 Supercopa de España, bringing his Barcelona trophy total to 35.[17] However, this particular trophy is not credited here since Messi was out of the squad and did not feature in any of the two games against Real Betis.[18][19] Similarly, Messi and Inter Miami were awarded a trophy for winning the Eastern Conference title during the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs. However, this trophy is not officially recognized by FIFA, so it is not credited here as well.[20][21] For the aforementioned reasons, sources disagree on Messi's total number of accolades, ranging from 46 to 48 official career trophies.[22][23][24] Does not include an unofficial friendly match played on 24 May 2008 in Barcelona between Argentina U23 and the Catalonia national football team,[433][434] as Catalonia is not affiliated with either FIFA or UEFA as a national member association and is therefore not allowed to participate in official competitions.[435] References "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – Squad List: Argentina (ARG)" (PDF). FIFA. 18 December 2022. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022. "Profile: Lionel Andrés Messi". FC Barcelona. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2015. Balagué 2013, pp. 32–37. "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 10 June 2014. p. 2. 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Saaid, Hamdan (12 September 2008). "Games of the XXIX. Olympiad". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 6 August 2024. "La selección catalana pierde ante Argentina (0–1) en un partido marcado por la política". El Mundo (in Spanish). 24 May 2008. Archived from the original on 27 May 2008. "Fiesta y equilibrio". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 25 May 2008. p. 18. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Hawkey, Ian (30 December 2013). "Catalonia and Basque Country reignite call for independent national football identities". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022. "Lionel Messi: Player Profile". ESPN FC. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2015. Toby Davis; Ed Osmond, eds. (18 December 2022). "Argentina's Lionel Messi: World Cup goals, stats and career highlights". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023. Pettigrove, Jason (16 October 2019). "A Sixth Golden Shoe Sees Lionel Messi Stand Alone". Forbes. ISSN 0015-6914. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2024. Otero, Paul M. (12 November 2013). "Palmarés de un Genio: El Coleccionista de Trofeos" [Honours of a Genius: The Collector of Trophies]. Marca (in Spanish). Spain. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2015. "Messi, Mejor Delantero y Mejor Jugador" [Messi, Best Forward and Best Player] (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 2 December 2013. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015. "Lionel Messi, 2014–15 Liga BBVA Best Player". Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 30 November 2015. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2016. "Lionel Messi Beats Cristiano Ronaldo To La Liga Best Player Award". soccerladuma. 19 December 2017. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2017. "Leo Messi reçoit le Pichichi et MVP de la Liga 2017–18". FC Barcelona. 12 November 2018. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2018. "Lionel Messi wins La Liga best player award for 2018–19 season". barcablaugranes.com. 17 December 2019. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2019. Pla Diaz, Emilio (17 January 2024). "Spain - Footballer of the Year". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024. "Laureus Sport Awards: Lionel Messi & Argentina World Cup team win Laureus awards". BBC Sport. 8 May 2023. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023. "IFFHS AWARDS 2022 - MEN'S WORLD BEST PLAYER". IFFHS. Archived from the original on 25 November 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2025. "Lionel Messi: Athlete of the Year 2023". TIME. 5 December 2023. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2025. Crépin, Timothé (14 December 2020). "Ballon d'Or Dream Team: Découvrez les révélations de ce onze de légende !" (in French). France Football. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020. "Lionel Messi: World 11 through the years". FIFPRO. 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024. "In focus: All Messi's FIFA FIFPRO World 11 inclusions". FIFA. 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 17 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024. "Por segunda vez en la historia, el Olimpia de Oro fue compartido: Lionel Messi y Belén Casetta fueron galardonados por su 2023". Clarín (in Spanish). 20 December 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024. "Belén Casetta compartió el Olimpia de Oro con Lionel Messi" (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 20 December 2023. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023. Tort, Àlex (30 April 2019). "La Generalitat otorga la Creu de Sant Jordi a Messi" (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. Retrieved 5 January 2025. "Magic Johnson, Lionel Messi get Presidential Medal of Freedom". ESPN. 4 January 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2025. Works cited Balagué, Guillem (2013). Messi. London: Orion Books. ISBN 978-1-4091-4659-9. Caioli, Luca (2012). Messi: The Inside Story of the Boy Who Became a Legend (3rd ed.). London: Corinthian Books. ISBN 978-1-906850-40-1. Caioli, Luca (2015). Messi: More than a Superstar (6th ed.). London: Icon Books. ISBN 978-1-906850-91-3. Caioli, Luca (2017). Messi (8th ed.). London: Icon Books. ISBN 978-1-78578-230-5. Guinness World Records 2015. Guinness World Records. 2014. ISBN 978-1-908843-65-4. Hunter, Graham (2012). Barça: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World. Glasgow: BackPage Press. ISBN 978-0-9564971-8-5. Lisi, Clemente Angelo (2011). A History of the World Cup: 1930–2010. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7754-2. External links Lionel Messi at Wikipedia's sister projects Wikimedia Commons logoMedia from Commons Quotations from Wikiquote Data from Wikidata Official website Edit this at Wikidata Profile at Inter Miami Profile at PSG Profile at FC Barcelona Profile at La Liga Profile at Ligue 1 Profile at MLS Lionel Messi at BDFutbol Edit this at Wikidata Lionel Messi at Soccerbase Edit this at Wikidata Lionel Messi at Soccerway (archive) Lionel Messi at National-Football-Teams.com Edit this at Wikidata Lionel Messi – FIFA competition record (archived) Edit this at Wikidata Lionel Messi – UEFA competition record (archive) Edit this at Wikidata Sporting positions Preceded by Andrés Iniesta FC Barcelona captain 2018–2021 Succeeded by Sergio Busquets vte Lionel Messi Career Summary International goals Achievements Rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo Cultural depictions Messi (2014 film) Messi (2017 film) Messi and Maud Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend Sistine Chapel of Football Take the Ball Pass the Ball Family Antonela Roccuzzo (wife) Associated clubs Leones de Rosario FC Deportivo LSM UE Cornellà Events Lionel Messi's 2025 India Tour Related topics Hong Kong v Inter Miami Más+ Liolaemus messii Cougar Dog New Maradona Yassine Cheuko Category vte Inter Miami CF – current squad 2 Luján 3 Reguilón 4 Mura 7 De Paul 8 Segovia 9 Suárez 10 Messi (c) 12 Ruiz 13 Barraza 16 Micael 17 Fray 19 Berterame 20 S. Morales 21 Allende 22 Ayala 24 Silvetti 26 Hall 32 Allen 34 Ríos Novo 37 Falcón 42 Bright 56 Pintér 62 Boatwright 76 Abadia 88 Shaw 97 St. Clair Head coach: Hoyos (interim) Assistant coach: Pérez Assistant coach: Vargas Goalkeeping coach: Alquiza Argentina squads vte Argentina squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Abbondanzieri 2 Ayala 3 Sorín (c) 4 Coloccini 5 Cambiasso 6 Heinze 7 Saviola 8 Mascherano 9 Crespo 10 Riquelme 11 Tevez 12 Franco 13 Scaloni 14 Palacio 15 Milito 16 Aimar 17 Cufré 18 Rodríguez 19 Messi 20 Cruz 21 Burdisso 22 González 23 Ustari Coach: Pékerman Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2007 Copa América runners-up 1 Abbondanzieri 2 Ayala (c) 3 Díaz 4 Ibarra 5 Gago 6 Heinze 7 Palacio 8 Zanetti 9 Crespo 10 Riquelme 11 Tevez 12 Carrizo 13 González 14 Mascherano 15 G. Milito 16 Aimar 17 Burdisso 18 Messi 19 Cambiasso 20 Verón 21 D. Milito 22 Orión Coach: Basile Argentina vte Argentina men's football squad – 2008 Summer Olympics – Gold medalists 1 Ustari (injured) 2 Garay 3 Monzón 4 Zabaleta 5 Gago 6 Fazio 7 Sosa 8 Banega 9 Lavezzi 10 Riquelme (c) 11 Di María 12 Pareja 13 Acosta 14 Mascherano 15 Messi 16 Agüero 17 Buonanotte 18 Romero 22 Navarro (injury replacement) Coach: Batista Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup 1 Pozo 2 Demichelis 3 C. Rodríguez 4 Burdisso 5 Bolatti 6 Heinze 7 Di María 8 Verón 9 Higuaín 10 Messi 11 Tevez 12 Garcé 13 Samuel 14 Mascherano (c) 15 Otamendi 16 Agüero 17 Gutiérrez 18 Palermo 19 Milito 20 M. Rodríguez 21 Andújar 22 Romero 23 Pastore Coach: Maradona Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2011 Copa América 1 Carrizo 2 Garay 3 Zabaleta 4 Burdisso 5 Cambiasso 6 G. Milito 7 Di María 8 Zanetti 9 Higuaín 10 Messi 11 Tevez 12 Andújar 13 Pareja 14 Mascherano (c) 15 Biglia 16 Agüero 17 Rojo 18 Pastore 19 Banega 20 Gago 21 Lavezzi 22 D. Milito 23 Romero Coach: Batista Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2014 FIFA World Cup runners-up 1 Romero 2 Garay 3 Campagnaro 4 Zabaleta 5 Gago 6 Biglia 7 Di María 8 Pérez 9 Higuaín 10 Messi (c) 11 M. Rodríguez 12 Orión 13 A. Fernández 14 Mascherano 15 Demichelis 16 Rojo 17 F. Fernández 18 Palacio 19 Álvarez 20 Agüero 21 Andújar 22 Lavezzi 23 Basanta Coach: Sabella Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2015 Copa América runners-up 1 Romero 2 Garay 3 Roncaglia 4 Zabaleta 5 Gago 6 Biglia 7 Di María 8 Pereyra 9 Higuaín 10 Messi (c) 11 Agüero 12 Guzmán 13 Casco 14 Mascherano 15 Demichelis 16 Rojo 17 Otamendi 18 Tevez 19 Banega 20 Lamela 21 Pastore 22 Lavezzi 23 Andújar/Marchesín Coach: Martino Argentina vte Argentina squad – Copa América Centenario runners-up 1 Romero 2 Maidana 3 Roncaglia 4 Mercado 5 Kranevitter 6 Biglia 7 Di María 8 Fernández 9 Higuaín 10 Messi (c) 11 Agüero 12 Guzmán 13 Funes Mori 14 Mascherano 15 Cuesta 16 Rojo 17 Otamendi 18 Lamela 19 Banega 20 Gaitán 21 Pastore 22 Lavezzi 23 Andújar Coach: Martino Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2018 FIFA World Cup 1 Guzmán 2 Mercado 3 Tagliafico 4 Ansaldi 5 Biglia 6 Fazio 7 Banega 8 Acuña 9 Higuaín 10 Messi (c) 11 Di María 12 Armani 13 Meza 14 Mascherano 15 Pérez 16 Rojo 17 Otamendi 18 Salvio 19 Agüero 20 Lo Celso 21 Dybala 22 Pavón 23 Caballero Coach: Sampaoli Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2019 Copa América third place 1 Armani 2 Foyth 3 Tagliafico 4 Saravia 5 Paredes 6 Pezzella 7 Pereyra 8 Acuña 9 Agüero 10 Messi (c) 11 Di María 12 Marchesín 13 Funes Mori 14 Casco 15 Pizarro 16 De Paul 17 Otamendi 18 Rodríguez 19 Suárez 20 Lo Celso 21 Dybala 22 Martínez 23 Musso Coach: Scaloni Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2021 Copa América winners (15th title) 1 Armani 2 Martínez Quarta 3 Tagliafico 4 Montiel 5 Paredes 6 Pezzella 7 De Paul 8 Acuña 9 Agüero 10 Messi (c) 11 Di María 12 Marchesín 13 Romero 14 Palacios 15 González 16 J. Correa 17 Domínguez 18 Rodríguez 19 Otamendi 20 Lo Celso 21 Á. Correa 22 La. Martínez 23 E. Martínez 24 Gómez 25 Li. Martínez 26 Molina 27 Alvarez 28 Musso Coach: Scaloni Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2022 FIFA World Cup winners (3rd title) 1 Armani 2 Foyth 3 Tagliafico 4 Montiel 5 Paredes 6 Pezzella 7 De Paul 8 Acuña 9 Alvarez 10 Messi (c) 11 Di María 12 Rulli 13 Romero 14 Palacios 15 Correa 16 Almada 17 Gómez 18 Rodríguez 19 Otamendi 20 Mac Allister 21 Dybala 22 La. Martínez 23 E. Martínez 24 Fernández 25 Li. Martínez 26 Molina Coach: Scaloni Argentina vte Argentina squad – 2024 Copa América winners (16th title) 1 Armani 2 Martínez Quarta 3 Tagliafico 4 Montiel 5 Paredes 6 Pezzella 7 De Paul 8 Acuña 9 Alvarez 10 Messi (c) 11 Di María 12 Rulli 13 Romero 14 Palacios 15 González 16 Lo Celso 17 Garnacho 18 Rodríguez 19 Otamendi 20 Mac Allister 21 Carboni 22 La. Martínez 23 E. Martínez 24 Fernández 25 Li. Martínez 26 Molina Coach: Scaloni Argentina Awards vte 2014 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament Statistical Team Goalkeeper Germany national football team Manuel Neuer Defenders Argentina national football team Marcos Rojo Germany national football team Mats Hummels Brazil national football team Thiago Silva Netherlands national football team Stefan de Vrij Midfielders Brazil national football team Oscar Colombia national football team James Rodríguez Germany national football team Toni Kroos Germany national football team Philipp Lahm Forwards Germany national football team Thomas Müller Netherlands national football team Arjen Robben Fans' Team Goalkeeper Germany national football team Manuel Neuer Defenders Brazil national football team David Luiz Germany national football team Mats Hummels Brazil national football team Thiago Silva Brazil national football team Marcelo Midfielders Argentina national football team Ángel Di María Colombia national football team James Rodríguez Germany national football team Toni Kroos Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Germany national football team Thomas Müller Brazil national football team Neymar Coach Germany national football team Joachim Löw vte 2007 Copa América Team of the Tournament Goalkeeper Brazil national football team Doni Defenders Argentina national football team Javier Zanetti Mexico national football team Jonny Magallón Brazil national football team Juan Uruguay national football team Jorge Fucile Midfielders Brazil national football team Júlio Baptista Argentina national football team Javier Mascherano Argentina national football team Juan Román Riquelme Forwards Brazil national football team Robinho Mexico national football team Nery Castillo Argentina national football team Lionel Messi vte 2011 Copa América Team of the Tournament Goalkeeper Venezuela national football team Renny Vega Defenders Colombia national football team Luis Amaranto Perea Uruguay national football team Diego Lugano Paraguay national football team Paulo da Silva Midfielders Argentina national football team Javier Mascherano Colombia national football team Fredy Guarín Uruguay national football team Álvaro Pereira Peru national football team Carlos Lobatón Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Uruguay national football team Luis Suárez Peru national football team Paolo Guerrero Coach Uruguay national football team Óscar Tabárez vte 2015 Copa América Team of the Tournament Goalkeeper Chile national football team Claudio Bravo Defenders Colombia national football team Jeison Murillo Chile national football team Gary Medel Argentina national football team Nicolás Otamendi Midfielders Peru national football team Christian Cueva Chile national football team Marcelo Díaz Argentina national football team Javier Mascherano Chile national football team Arturo Vidal Forwards Chile national football team Eduardo Vargas Peru national football team Paolo Guerrero Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Coach Chile national football team Jorge Sampaoli vte Copa América Centenario Team of the Tournament Goalkeeper Chile national football team Claudio Bravo Defenders Chile national football team Mauricio Isla Argentina national football team Nicolás Otamendi Chile national football team Gary Medel Chile national football team Jean Beausejour Midfielders Argentina national football team Javier Mascherano Chile national football team Arturo Vidal Chile national football team Charles Aránguiz Forwards Chile national football team Eduardo Vargas Chile national football team Alexis Sánchez Argentina national football team Lionel Messi vte 2021 Copa América Team of the Tournament Goalkeeper Argentina national football team Emiliano Martínez Defenders Ecuador national football team Pervis Estupiñán Brazil national football team Marquinhos Argentina national football team Cristian Romero Chile national football team Mauricio Isla Midfielders Peru national football team Yoshimar Yotún Brazil national football team Casemiro Argentina national football team Rodrigo De Paul Forwards Colombia national football team Luis Díaz Brazil national football team Neymar Argentina national football team Lionel Messi vte 2024 Copa América Team of the Tournament Goalkeeper Argentina national football team Emiliano Martínez Defenders Ecuador national football team Piero Hincapié Colombia national football team Davinson Sánchez Argentina national football team Cristian Romero Canada men's national soccer team Alistair Johnston Midfielders Colombia national football team James Rodríguez Uruguay national football team Manuel Ugarte Argentina national football team Rodrigo De Paul Forwards Brazil national football team Raphinha Argentina national football team Lautaro Martínez Argentina national football team Lionel Messi vte FIFA World Cup Golden Ball 1982: Italy national football team Rossi 1986: Argentina national football team Maradona 1990: Italy national football team Schillaci 1994: Brazil national football team Romário 1998: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 2002: Germany national football team Kahn 2006: France national football team Zidane 2010: Uruguay national football team Forlán 2014: Argentina national football team Messi 2018: Croatia national football team Modrić 2022: Argentina national football team Messi vte South American Championship and Copa América top scorers South American Championship era 1916: Uruguay national football team Gradín 1917: Uruguay national football team Romano 1919: Brazil national football team Friedenreich & Brazil national football team Neco 1920: Uruguay national football team Pérez & Uruguay national football team Romano 1921: Argentina national football team Libonatti 1922: Argentina national football team Francia 1923: Argentina national football team Aguirre & Uruguay national football team Petrone 1924: Uruguay national football team Petrone 1925: Argentina national football team Seoane 1926: Chile national football team Arellano 1927: Argentina national football team Carricaberry, Uruguay national football team Figueroa, Argentina national football team Luna, Uruguay national football team Petrone & Uruguay national football team Scarone 1929: Paraguay national football team González 1935: Argentina national football team Masantonio 1937: Chile national football team Toro 1939: Peru national football team Fernández 1941: Argentina national football team Marvezzi 1942: Argentina national football team Masantonio & Argentina national football team Moreno 1945: Brazil national football team De Freitas & Argentina national football team Méndez 1946: Uruguay national football team Medina 1947: Uruguay national football team Falero 1949: Brazil national football team Jair 1953: Chile national football team Molina 1955: Argentina national football team Micheli 1956: Chile national football team Hormazábal 1957: Uruguay national football team Ambrois & Argentina national football team Maschio 1959 (Argentina): Brazil national football team Pelé 1959 (Ecuador): Argentina national football team Sanfilippo 1963: Ecuador national football team Raffo 1967: Argentina national football team Artime Copa América era 1975: Colombia national football team E. Díaz & Argentina national football team Luque 1979: Paraguay national football team Morel & Chile national football team Peredo 1983: Uruguay national football team Aguilera, Argentina national football team Burruchaga & Brazil national football team Dinamite 1987: Colombia national football team Iguarán 1989: Brazil national football team Bebeto 1991: Argentina national football team Batistuta 1993: Venezuela national football team Dolgetta 1995: Argentina national football team Batistuta & Mexico national football team García 1997: Mexico national football team Hernández 1999: Brazil national football team Rivaldo & Brazil national football team Ronaldo 2001: Colombia national football team Aristizábal 2004: Brazil national football team Adriano 2007: Brazil national football team Robinho 2011: Peru national football team Guerrero 2015: Peru national football team Guerrero & Chile national football team Vargas 2016: Chile national football team Vargas 2019: Brazil national football team Everton & Peru national football team Guerrero 2021: Colombia national football team L. Díaz & Argentina national football team Messi 2024: Argentina national football team Martínez vte South American Championship and Copa América Player of the Tournament Unofficial award 1916: Uruguay national football team Gradín 1917: Uruguay national football team Scarone 1919: Brazil national football team Friedenreich 1920: Uruguay national football team Piendibene 1921: Argentina national football team Tesoriere 1922: Brazil national football team Fortes 1923: Uruguay national football team Nasazzi 1924: Uruguay national football team Petrone 1925: Argentina national football team Seoane 1926: Uruguay national football team Andrade 1927: Argentina national football team Seoane 1929: Argentina national football team Ferreira 1935: Uruguay national football team Nasazzi 1937: Argentina national football team Mata 1939: Peru national football team Fernández 1941: Chile national football team Livingstone 1942: Uruguay national football team Varela 1945: Brazil national football team Da Guia 1946: Argentina national football team Pedernera 1947: Argentina national football team Moreno 1949: Brazil national football team Ademir 1953: Paraguay national football team Herrera 1955: Chile national football team Hormazábal 1956: Uruguay national football team Míguez 1957: Argentina national football team Sívori 1959 (Argentina): Brazil national football team Pelé 1959 (Ecuador): Uruguay national football team Silveira 1963: Bolivia national football team Blacut 1967: Uruguay national football team Rocha 1975: Peru national football team Cubillas 1979: Chile national football team Caszely 1983: Uruguay national football team Francescoli Official award 1987: Colombia national football team Valderrama 1989: Uruguay national football team Sosa 1991: Argentina national football team L. Rodríguez 1993: Argentina national football team Goycochea 1995: Uruguay national football team Francescoli 1997: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 1999: Brazil national football team Rivaldo 2001: Honduras national football team Guevara 2004: Brazil national football team Adriano 2007: Brazil national football team Robinho 2011: Uruguay national football team Suárez 2015: Argentina national football team Messi1 2016: Chile national football team Sánchez 2019: Brazil national football team Alves 2021: Argentina national football team Messi 2024: Colombia national football team J. Rodríguez 1 Messi was given the 2015 award, but rejected it. Argentina's staff was to receive the award. vte FIFA U-20 World Cup awards Golden Ball 1977: Bessonov 1979: Maradona 1981: Gabor 1983: Geovani 1985: Silas 1987: Prosinečki 1989: Bismarck 1991: Peixe 1993: Adriano 1995: Caio 1997: Olivera 1999: Keïta 2001: Saviola 2003: Matar 2005: Messi 2007: Agüero 2009: Adiyiah 2011: Henrique 2013: Pogba 2015: Traoré 2017: Solanke 2019: Lee Kang-in 2023: Casadei 2025: Maamma Golden Boot 1977: Guina 1979: Díaz 1981: Koussas 1983: Geovani 1985: Losada 1987: Witeczek 1989: Salenko 1991: Scherbakov 1993: Zambrano 1995: Etxeberria 1997: Adaílton 1999: Couñago 2001: Saviola 2003: Johnson 2005: Messi 2007: Agüero 2009: Adiyiah 2011: Henrique 2013: Assifuah 2015: Kovalenko 2017: Orsolini 2019: Haaland 2023: Casadei 2025: Cremaschi Golden Glove 2009: Alvarado 2011: Mika 2013: De Amores 2015: Rajković 2017: Woodman 2019: Lunin 2023: Desplanches 2025: Barbi vte Ballon d'Or France Football magazine award Ballon d'Or (1956–2009) 1956: England national football team Matthews 1957: Spain national football team Di Stéfano 1958: France national football team Kopa 1959: Spain national football team Di Stéfano 1960: Spain national football team Suárez 1961: Italy national football team Sívori 1962: Czechoslovakia national football team Masopust 1963: Soviet Union national football team Yashin 1964: Scotland national football team Law 1965: Portugal national football team Eusébio 1966: England national football team Charlton 1967: Hungary national football team Albert 1968: Northern Ireland national football team Best 1969: Italy national football team Rivera 1970: Germany national football team Müller 1971: Netherlands national football team Cruyff 1972: Germany national football team Beckenbauer 1973: Netherlands national football team Cruyff 1974: Netherlands national football team Cruyff 1975: Soviet Union national football team Blokhin 1976: Germany national football team Beckenbauer 1977: Denmark national football team Simonsen 1978: England national football team Keegan 1979: England national football team Keegan 1980: Germany national football team Rummenigge 1981: Germany national football team Rummenigge 1982: Italy national football team Rossi 1983: France national football team Platini 1984: France national football team Platini 1985: France national football team Platini 1986: Soviet Union national football team Belanov 1987: Netherlands national football team Gullit 1988: Netherlands national football team van Basten 1989: Netherlands national football team van Basten 1990: Germany national football team Matthäus 1991: France national football team Papin 1992: Netherlands national football team van Basten 1993: Italy national football team Baggio 1994: Bulgaria national football team Stoichkov 1995: Liberia national football team Weah 1996: Germany national football team Sammer 1997: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 1998: France national football team Zidane 1999: Brazil national football team Rivaldo 2000: Portugal national football team Figo 2001: England national football team Owen 2002: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 2003: Czech Republic national football team Nedvěd 2004: Ukraine national football team Shevchenko 2005: Brazil national football team Ronaldinho 2006: Italy national football team Cannavaro 2007: Brazil national football team Kaká 2008: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2009: Argentina national football team Messi FIFA Ballon d'Or (2010–2015) 2010: Argentina national football team Messi 2011: Argentina national football team Messi 2012: Argentina national football team Messi 2013: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2014: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2015: Argentina national football team Messi Ballon d'Or (2016–present) 2016: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2017: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2018: Croatia national football team Modrić 2019: Argentina national football team Messi 2020: not awarded 2021: Argentina national football team Messi 2022: France national football team Benzema 2023: Argentina national football team Messi 2024: Spain national football team Rodri 2025: France national football team Dembélé Ballon d'Or additional awards (Ballon d'Or Féminin, Kopa Trophy, Yashin Trophy, Gerd Müller Trophy, Club of the Year, Sócrates Award, Johan Cruyff Trophy, Super Ballon d'Or, Ballon d'Or Dream Team) Related awards (French Player of the Year, FIFA Ballon d'Or (2010–2015), FIFA World Player of the Year (1991–2009), The Best FIFA Men's Player) vte The Best FIFA Men's Player FIFA World Player of the Year 1991: Germany national football team Matthäus 1992: Netherlands national football team Van Basten 1993: Italy national football team Baggio 1994: Brazil national football team Romário 1995: Liberia national football team Weah 1996: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 1997: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 1998: France national football team Zidane 1999: Brazil national football team Rivaldo 2000: France national football team Zidane 2001: Portugal national football team Figo 2002: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 2003: France national football team Zidane 2004: Brazil national football team Ronaldinho 2005: Brazil national football team Ronaldinho 2006: Italy national football team Cannavaro 2007: Brazil national football team Kaká 2008: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2009: Argentina national football team Messi FIFA Ballon d'Or 2010: Argentina national football team Messi 2011: Argentina national football team Messi 2012: Argentina national football team Messi 2013: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2014: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2015: Argentina national football team Messi The Best FIFA Men's Player 2016: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2017: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2018: Croatia national football team Modrić 2019: Argentina national football team Messi 2020: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2021: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2022: Argentina national football team Messi 2023: Argentina national football team Messi 2024: Brazil national football team Vinícius Jr. 2025: France national football team Dembélé See also: Ballon d'Or vte FourFourTwo Player of the year 2007: Brazil national football team Kaká 2008: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2009: Argentina national football team Messi 2010: Argentina national football team Messi 2011: Argentina national football team Messi 2012: Argentina national football team Messi 2013: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2014: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2015: Argentina national football team Messi 2016: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2017: Argentina national football team Messi 2018: Argentina national football team Messi 2019: Argentina national football team Messi 2020: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2021: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2022: Norway national football team Haaland 2023: Norway national football team Haaland 2024: Spain national football team Rodri 2025: Spain national football team Yamal vte Globe Soccer Awards Best Player Men's winners 2011: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2012: Colombia national football team Falcao 2013: France national football team Ribéry 2014: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2015: Argentina national football team Messi 2016: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2017: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2018: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2019: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2020: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2021: France national football team Mbappé 2022: France national football team Benzema 2023: Norway national football team Haaland 2024: Brazil national football team Vinícius Jr. 2025: France national football team Dembélé Women's winners 2019: England national football team Bronze 2020: not awarded 2021: Spain national football team Putellas 2022: Spain national football team Putellas 2023: Spain national football team Bonmatí 2024: Spain national football team Bonmatí 2025: Spain national football team Bonmatí vte IFFHS World's Best Player Men's winners 1988: Netherlands Van Basten 1989: Netherlands Van Basten 1990: West Germany Matthäus 1991–2019: not awarded 2020: Poland Lewandowski 2021: Poland Lewandowski 2022: Argentina Messi 2023: Norway Haaland 2024: Spain Rodri 2025: France Dembélé Women's winners 2020: Denmark Harder 2021: Spain Putellas 2022: Spain Putellas 2023: Spain Bonmatí 2024: Spain Bonmatí 2025: Spain Bonmatí vte IFFHS World's Best Playmaker Men's winners 2006: France Zidane 2007: Brazil Kaká 2008: Spain Xavi 2009: Spain Xavi 2010: Spain Xavi 2011: Spain Xavi 2012: Spain Iniesta 2013: Spain Iniesta 2014: Germany Kroos 2015: Argentina Messi 2016: Argentina Messi 2017: Argentina Messi 2018: Croatia Modrić 2019: Argentina Messi 2020: Belgium De Bruyne 2021: Belgium De Bruyne 2022: Argentina Messi 2023: Belgium De Bruyne 2024: England Bellingham 2025: Portugal Vitinha Women's winners 2012: Brazil Marta 2013: Germany Goeßling 2014: Germany Keßler 2015: United States Lloyd 2016: Germany Marozsán 2017: Netherlands Martens 2018: Germany Marozsán 2019: United States Rapinoe 2020: Germany Marozsán 2021: Spain Putellas 2022: Spain Putellas 2023: Spain Bonmatí 2024: Spain Bonmatí 2025: Spain Bonmatí vte IFFHS World's Best Top Goal Scorer Men's winners 2011: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2012: Argentina national football team Messi 2013: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2014: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2015: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2016: Argentina national football team Messi 2017: England national football team Kane 2018: Algeria national football team Bounedjah 2019: Morocco national football team Hamdallah 2020: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2021: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2022: France national football team Mbappé 2023: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2024: Sweden Gyökeres 2025: France national football team Mbappé Women's winners 2021: Spain Hermoso 2022: Netherlands Kalma 2023: Malawi Chawinga 2024: Mexico Corral 2025: Mexico Corral vte IFFHS World's Best International Goal Scorer Men's winners 1991: France national football team Papin 1992: Netherlands national football team Bergkamp & Brazil national football team Raí & Honduras national football team Obando 1993: Saudi Arabia national football team Al-Owairan 1994: Bulgaria national football team Stoichkov 1995: Germany national football team Klinsmann 1996: Iran national football team Daei 1997: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 1998: Kuwait national football team Al-Huwaidi 1999: Spain national football team Raúl 2000: Brazil national football team Rivaldo 2001: Oman national football team Al-Dhabit 2002: Netherlands national football team Van Nistelrooy 2003: France national football team Henry 2004: Iran national football team Daei 2005: Brazil national football team Adriano 2006: Chile national football team Suazo 2007: DR Congo national football team Mputu 2008: Brazil national football team Rico 2009: Japan national football team Okazaki 2010: Kuwait national football team Al-Mutawa 2011: Argentina national football team Messi 2012: Argentina national football team Messi 2013: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2014: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2015: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2016: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2017: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2018: Algeria national football team Bounedjah 2019: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2020: Belgium national football team Lukaku 2021: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2022: Argentina national football team Messi 2023: Belgium national football team Lukaku 2024: Morocco national football team Rahimi 2025: Norway national football team Haaland Women's winners 2021: England White 2022: Australia Kerr 2023: Zambia Banda 2024: Germany Schüller 2025: Spain Pina vte IFFHS World's Best Top Division Goal Scorer Men's winners 1997: Turkey Şükür 1998: Ecuador Kaviedes 1999: Brazil Jardel 2000: Brazil Jardel 2001: Bolivia Castillo 2002: Bolivia Botero 2003: Paraguay Cardozo 2004: Chile Galaz 2005: Brazil Araújo 2006: Netherlands Huntelaar 2007: Brazil Afonso Alves 2008: Paraguay Barrios 2009: Austria Janko 2010: Uruguay Suárez 2011: Latvia Čekulajevs 2012: Argentina Messi 2013: Argentina Messi 2014: Portugal C. Ronaldo & Uruguay Suárez 2015: Portugal C. Ronaldo 2016: Uruguay Suárez 2017: Argentina Messi 2018: Brazil Jonas & Argentina Messi 2019: Algeria Bounedjah 2020: Portugal C. Ronaldo 2021: Poland Lewandowski 2022: Argentina Cano 2023: England Kane 2024: Sweden Gyökeres Women's winners 2021: Czech Republic Martínková 2022: United States Fishel 2023: Mexico Corral 2024: Mexico Corral vte FIFPRO Player of the Year awards World Player of the Year 2005: Brazil national football team Ronaldinho 2006: Brazil national football team Ronaldinho 2007: Brazil national football team Kaká 2008: Portugal national football team Ronaldo Young Player of the Year 2005: England national football team Rooney 2006: Argentina national football team Messi 2007: Argentina national football team Messi 2008: Argentina national football team Messi vte Onze d'Or 1976: Netherlands national football team Rensenbrink 1977: England national football team Keegan 1978: Argentina national football team Kempes 1979: England national football team Keegan 1980: Germany national football team Rummenigge 1981: Germany national football team Rummenigge 1982: Italy national football team Rossi 1983: France national football team Platini 1984: France national football team Platini 1985: France national football team Platini 1986: Argentina national football team Maradona 1987: Argentina national football team Maradona 1988: Netherlands national football team Van Basten 1989: Netherlands national football team Van Basten 1990: Germany national football team Matthäus 1991: France national football team Papin 1992: Bulgaria national football team Stoichkov 1993: Italy national football team Baggio 1994: Brazil national football team Romário 1995: Liberia national football team Weah 1996: France national football team Cantona 1997: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 1998: France national football team Zidane 1999: Brazil national football team Rivaldo 2000: France national football team Zidane 2001: France national football team Zidane 2002: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 2003: France national football team Henry 2004: Ivory Coast national football team Drogba 2005: Brazil national football team Ronaldinho 2006: France national football team Henry 2007: Brazil national football team Kaká 2008: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2009: Argentina national football team Messi 2010–11: Argentina national football team Messi 2011–12: Argentina national football team Messi 2012–14: not awarded 2014–15: France national football team Griezmann 2015–16: not awarded 2016–17: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2017–18: Argentina national football team Messi 2018–19: Senegal national football team Mané 2019–20: not awarded 2020–21: France national football team Benzema 2021–22: France national football team Benzema 2022–23: Norway national football team Haaland 2023–24: Brazil national football team Vinícius Jr. 2024–25: France national football team Dembélé vte UEFA Club Footballer of the Year 1997–98: Brazil national football team Ronaldo 1998–99: England national football team Beckham 1999–2000: Argentina national football team Redondo 2000–01: Germany national football team Effenberg 2001–02: France national football team Zidane 2002–03: Italy national football team Buffon 2003–04: Portugal national football team Deco 2004–05: England national football team Gerrard 2005–06: Brazil national football team Ronaldinho 2006–07: Brazil national football team Kaká 2007–08: Portugal national football team C. Ronaldo 2008–09: Argentina national football team Messi 2009–10: Argentina national football team Milito vte UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award UEFA Best Player in Europe 2010–11: Argentina national football team Messi 2011–12: Spain national football team Iniesta 2012–13: France national football team Ribéry 2013–14: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2014–15: Argentina national football team Messi 2015–16: Portugal national football team Ronaldo UEFA Men's Player of the Year 2016–17: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2017–18: Croatia national football team Modrić 2018–19: Netherlands national football team Van Dijk 2019–20: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2020–21: Italy national football team Jorginho 2021–22: France national football team Benzema 2022–23: Norway national football team Haaland vte UEFA Men's Club Football Awards Best Goalkeeper 1997–98: Schmeichel 1998–99: Kahn 1999–2000: Kahn 2000–01: Kahn 2001–02: Kahn 2002–03: Buffon 2003–04: Baía 2004–05: Čech 2005–06: Lehmann 2006–07: Čech 2007–08: Čech 2008–09: Van der Sar 2009–10: Júlio César 2010–16: Not awarded 2016–17: Buffon 2017–18: Navas 2018–19: Alisson 2019–20: Neuer 2020–21: Mendy Best Defender 1997–98: Hierro 1998–99: Stam 1999–2000: Stam 2000–01: Ayala 2001–02: Roberto Carlos 2002–03: Roberto Carlos 2003–04: Carvalho 2004–05: Terry 2005–06: Puyol 2006–07: Maldini 2007–08: Terry 2008–09: Terry 2009–10: Maicon 2010–16: Not awarded 2016–17: Ramos 2017–18: Ramos 2018–19: Van Dijk 2019–20: Kimmich 2020–21: Dias Best Midfielder 1997–98: Zidane 1998–99: Beckham 1999–2000: Mendieta 2000–01: Mendieta 2001–02: Ballack 2002–03: Nedvěd 2003–04: Deco 2004–05: Kaká 2005–06: Deco 2006–07: Seedorf 2007–08: Lampard 2008–09: Xavi 2009–10: Sneijder 2010–16: Not awarded 2016–17: Modrić 2017–18: Modrić 2018–19: De Jong 2019–20: De Bruyne 2020–21: Kanté Best Forward 1997–98: Ronaldo 1998–99: Shevchenko 1999–2000: Raúl 2000–01: Raúl 2001–02: Raúl 2002–03: Van Nistelrooy 2003–04: Morientes 2004–05: Ronaldinho 2005–06: Eto'o 2006–07: Kaká 2007–08: C. Ronaldo 2008–09: Messi 2009–10: Milito 2010–16: Not awarded 2016–17: C. Ronaldo 2017–18: C. Ronaldo 2018–19: Messi 2019–20: Lewandowski 2020–21: Haaland vte Footballer of the Year of Argentina Original award 1970: Yazalde 1971: Pastoriza 1972: Bargas 1973: Brindisi 1974: Raimondo 1975: Scotta 1976: Passarella 1977: Fillol 1978: Kempes 1979: Maradona 1980: Maradona 1981: Maradona 1982: Gatti 1983: Bochini 1984: Márcico 1985: Francescoli 1986: Maradona 1987: Fabbri 1988: Paz 1989: Alfaro Moreno 1990: Goycochea 1991: Ruggeri 1992: Islas 1993: Medina Bello 1994: Navarro Montoya 1995: Francescoli 1996: Chilavert 1997: Salas 1998: Batistuta 1999: Saviola 2000: Riquelme 2001: Riquelme 2002: Milito 2003: Tevez 2004: Tevez 2005: Messi 2006: Verón 2007: Messi 2019: Messi 2020: Messi 2021: Messi 2022: Messi 2023: Messi 2024: E. Martínez 2025: Di María Shared award Domestic 2008: Riquelme 2009: Verón 2010: J. M. Martínez 2011: Riquelme 2012: L. López 2013: M. Rodríguez 2014: Pratto 2015: Ruben 2016: Belluschi 2017: Benedetto 2018: P. Martínez Abroad 2008: Messi 2009: Messi 2010: Messi 2011: Messi 2012: Messi 2013: Messi 2014: Di María 2015: Messi 2016: Messi 2017: Messi vte Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano 2007–08: Raúl 2008–09: Messi 2009–10: Messi 2010–11: Messi 2011–12: Ronaldo 2012–13: Ronaldo 2013–14: Ronaldo 2014–15: Messi 2015–16: Ronaldo 2016–17: Messi 2017–18: Messi 2018–19: Messi 2019–20: Benzema 2020–21: Suárez 2021–22: Benzema 2022–23: Ter Stegen 2023–24: Vinícius Jr. vte La Liga Best Player of the Year – LFP Awards 2008–09: Messi 2009–10: Messi 2010–11: Messi 2011–12: Messi 2012–13: Messi 2013–14: Ronaldo 2014–15: Messi 2015–16: Griezmann vte La Liga Foreign Player of the Year - Don Balón Award 1976: Neeskens 1977: Cruyff 1978: Cruyff 1979: Stielike 1980: Stielike 1981: Stielike 1982: Stielike 1983: Barbas 1984: Barbas 1985: Schuster 1986: Valdano 1987: Sánchez 1988: Alemão 1989: Ruggeri 1990: Sánchez 1991: Schuster 1992: Laudrup 1993: Đukić 1994: Stoichkov 1995: Zamorano 1996: Mijatović 1997: Ronaldo 1998: Rivaldo 1999: Figo 2000: Figo 2001: Figo 2002: Zidane 2003: Nihat 2004: Ronaldinho 2005: Riquelme 2006: Ronaldinho 2007: Messi 2008: Agüero 2009: Messi 2010: Messi vte La Liga Forward of the Year - LFP Awards 2009: Messi 2010: Messi 2011: Messi 2012: Messi 2013: Messi 2014: Ronaldo 2015: Messi 2016: Messi 2017: Messi 2018: Messi 2019: Messi 2020: Benzema 2021: Messi 2022: Benzema 2023: Lewandowski vte EFE Trophy 1990–91: Fernández 1991–92: Zalazar 1992–93: Zamorano 1993–94: Romário 1994–95: Zamorano 1995–96: Simeone 1996–97: Ronaldo 1997–98: Roberto Carlos 1998–99: Rivaldo 1999–2000: Herrera 2000–01: Acuña 2001–02: Saviola 2002–03: Ronaldo 2003–04: Ronaldinho 2004–05: Forlán 2005–06: Aimar 2006–07: Messi 2007–08: Agüero 2008–09: Messi 2009–10: Messi 2010–11: Messi 2011–12: Messi 2012–13: C. Ronaldo 2013–14: Diego Costa 2014–15: Suárez 2015–16: Navas 2016–17: Real Madrid 2017–18: Cavani 2018–19: not awarded 2019–20: Santos & Casemiro 2020–21: Suárez 2021–22: Vinícius Jr. 2022–23: Vinícius Jr. 2023–24: Vinícius Jr. vte Landon Donovan MVP Award 1996: Valderrama 1997: Preki 1998: Etcheverry 1999: Kreis 2000: Meola 2001: Pineda Chacón 2002: Ruiz 2003: Preki 2004: Guevara 2005: Twellman 2006: Gómez 2007: Emílio 2008: Barros Schelotto 2009: Donovan 2010: Ferreira 2011: De Rosario 2012: Wondolowski 2013: Magee 2014: Keane 2015: Giovinco 2016: Villa 2017: Valeri 2018: Martínez 2019: Vela 2020: Pozuelo 2021: Gil 2022: Mukhtar 2023: Acosta 2024: Messi 2025: Messi vte Golden Boy award winners 2003: Van der Vaart 2004: Rooney 2005: Messi 2006: Fàbregas 2007: Agüero 2008: Anderson 2009: Pato 2010: Balotelli 2011: Götze 2012: Isco 2013: Pogba 2014: Sterling 2015: Martial 2016: Sanches 2017: Mbappé 2018: De Ligt 2019: Félix 2020: Haaland 2021: Pedri 2022: Gavi 2023: Bellingham 2024: Yamal 2025: Doué vte Bravo Award 1978: Case 1979: Birtles 1980: H. Müller 1981: Wark 1982: Shaw 1983: Bonini 1984: Righetti 1985: Butragueño 1986: Butragueño 1987: Van Basten 1988: Ohana 1989: Maldini 1990: Baggio 1991: Prosinečki 1992: Guardiola 1993: Giggs 1994: Panucci 1995: Kluivert 1996: Del Piero 1997: Ronaldo 1998: Ronaldo 1999: Buffon 2000: Casillas 2001: Hargreaves 2002: Metzelder 2003: Rooney 2004: C. Ronaldo 2005: Robben 2006: Fàbregas 2007: Messi 2008: Benzema 2009: Busquets 2010: T. Müller 2011: Hazard 2012: Verratti 2013: Isco 2014: Pogba 2015: Berardi vte FIFA Club World Cup / FIFA Intercontinental Cup Golden Ball FIFA Club World Cup 2000: Brazil national football team Edílson 2005: Brazil national football team Rogério Ceni 2006: Portugal national football team Deco 2007: Brazil national football team Kaká 2008: England national football team Rooney 2009: Argentina national football team Messi 2010: Cameroon national football team Eto'o 2011: Argentina national football team Messi 2012: Brazil national football team Cássio 2013: France national football team Ribéry 2014: Spain national football team Ramos 2015: Uruguay national football team Suárez 2016: Portugal national football team Ronaldo 2017: Croatia national football team Modrić 2018: Wales national football team Bale 2019: Egypt national football team Salah 2020: Poland national football team Lewandowski 2021: Brazil national football team Thiago Silva 2022: Brazil national football team Vinícius Jr. 2023: Spain national football team Rodri 2025: England national football team Palmer FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024: Brazil national football team Vinícius Jr. 2025: Portugal national football team Vitinha vte European Golden Shoe L'Équipe award 1967–68: Eusébio 1968–69: Zhekov 1969–70: Müller 1970–71: Skoblar 1971–72: Müller 1972–73: Eusébio 1973–74: Yazalde 1974–75: Georgescu 1975–76: Kaiafas 1976–77: Georgescu 1977–78: Krankl 1978–79: Kist 1979–80: Vandenbergh 1980–81: Slavkov 1981–82: Kieft 1982–83: Gomes 1983–84: Rush 1984–85: Gomes 1985–86: Van Basten 1986–87: Cămătaru & Polster 1987–88: Çolak 1988–89: Mateuț 1989–90: Sánchez & Stoichkov 1990–91: Pančev Unofficial 1991–92: McCoist 1992–93: McCoist 1993–94: Taylor 1994–95: Avetisyan 1995–96: Endeladze ESM award 1996–97: Ronaldo 1997–98: Machlas 1998–99: Jardel 1999–2000: Phillips 2000–01: Larsson 2001–02: Jardel 2002–03: Makaay 2003–04: Henry 2004–05: Henry & Forlán 2005–06: Toni 2006–07: Totti 2007–08: C. Ronaldo 2008–09: Forlán 2009–10: Messi 2010–11: C. Ronaldo 2011–12: Messi 2012–13: Messi 2013–14: C. Ronaldo & Suárez 2014–15: C. Ronaldo 2015–16: Suárez 2016–17: Messi 2017–18: Messi 2018–19: Messi 2019–20: Immobile 2020–21: Lewandowski 2021–22: Lewandowski 2022–23: Haaland 2023–24: Kane 2024–25: Mbappé vte European Cup and UEFA Champions League top scorers European Cup era 1956: Milutinović 1957: Viollet 1958: Di Stéfano 1959: Fontaine 1960: Puskás 1961: J. Águas 1962: Di Stéfano, Løfqvist, Puskás, Strehl & Tejada 1963: Altafini 1964: Kovačević, Mazzola & Puskás 1965: Eusébio & Torres 1966: Albert & Eusébio 1967: Piepenburg & Van Himst 1968: Eusébio 1969: Law 1970: Jones 1971: Antoniadis 1972: Dunai, Macari & Takač 1973: Müller 1974: Müller 1975: Markarov & Müller 1976: Heynckes 1977: Cucinotta & Müller 1978: Simonsen 1979: Sulser 1980: Lerby 1981: McDermott, Rummenigge & Souness 1982: Hoeneß 1983: Rossi 1984: Sokol 1985: Nilsson & Platini 1986: Nilsson 1987: Cvetković 1988: R. Águas, Ferreri, Hagi, Madjer, McCoist, Míchel & Novák 1989: Van Basten 1990: Papin & Romário 1991: Pacult & Papin 1992: Papin & Yuran UEFA Champions League era 1993: Romário 1994: Koeman & Rufer 1995: Weah 1996: Litmanen 1997: Pantić 1998: Del Piero 1999: Shevchenko & Yorke 2000: Jardel, Raúl & Rivaldo 2001: Raúl 2002: Van Nistelrooy 2003: Van Nistelrooy 2004: Morientes 2005: Van Nistelrooy 2006: Shevchenko 2007: Kaká 2008: Ronaldo 2009: Messi 2010: Messi 2011: Messi 2012: Messi 2013: Ronaldo 2014: Ronaldo 2015: Messi, Neymar & Ronaldo 2016: Ronaldo 2017: Ronaldo 2018: Ronaldo 2019: Messi 2020: Lewandowski 2021: Haaland 2022: Benzema 2023: Haaland 2024: Kane & Mbappé 2025: Guirassy & Raphinha vte La Liga top scorers 1929: Bienzobas 1930: Gorostiza 1931: Bata 1932: Bata 1933: Olivares 1934: Lángara 1935: Lángara 1936: Lángara 1940: Unamuno 1941: Pruden 1942: E. Suárez 1943: Martín 1944: E. Suárez 1945: Zarra 1946: Zarra 1947: Zarra 1948: Pahiño 1949: César 1950: Zarra 1951: Zarra 1952: Pahiño 1953: Zarra 1954: Di Stéfano 1955: Arza 1956: Di Stéfano 1957: Di Stéfano 1958: Badenes, Di Stéfano & Ricardo 1959: Di Stéfano 1960: Puskás 1961: Puskás 1962: Seminario 1963: Puskás 1964: Puskás 1965: Ré 1966: Aragonés & Vavá 1967: Waldo 1968: Uriarte 1969: Amancio & Gárate 1970: Amancio, Aragonés & Gárate 1971: Gárate & Rexach 1972: Porta 1973: Marianín 1974: Quini 1975: Carlos 1976: Quini 1977: Kempes 1978: Kempes 1979: Krankl 1980: Quini 1981: Quini 1982: Quini 1983: Rincón 1984: Da Silva & Juanito 1985: Sánchez 1986: Sánchez 1987: Sánchez 1988: Sánchez 1989: Baltazar 1990: Sánchez 1991: Butragueño 1992: Manolo 1993: Bebeto 1994: Romário 1995: Zamorano 1996: Pizzi 1997: Ronaldo 1998: Vieri 1999: Raúl 2000: Salva 2001: Raúl 2002: Tristán 2003: Makaay 2004: Ronaldo 2005: Eto'o & Forlán 2006: Eto'o 2007: Van Nistelrooy 2008: Güiza 2009: Forlán 2010: Messi 2011: C. Ronaldo 2012: Messi 2013: Messi 2014: C. Ronaldo 2015: C. Ronaldo 2016: L. Suárez 2017: Messi 2018: Messi 2019: Messi 2020: Messi 2021: Messi 2022: Benzema 2023: Lewandowski 2024: Dovbyk 2025: Mbappé vte MLS top scorers 1996: Lassiter 1997: Moreno 1998: John 1999: Kreis 2000: Diallo 2001: Pineda Chacón 2002: Ruiz 2003: Ruiz & Twellman 2004: Ching & Johnson 2005: Twellman 2006: Cunningham 2007: Emílio 2008: Donovan 2009: Cunningham 2010: Wondolowski 2011: De Rosario 2012: Wondolowski 2013: Camilo 2014: Wright-Phillips 2015: Giovinco 2016: Wright-Phillips 2017: Nikolić 2018: Martínez 2019: Vela 2020: Rossi 2021: Castellanos 2022: Mukhtar 2023: Bouanga 2024: Benteke 2025: Messi vte FIFA Club World Cup / FIFA Intercontinental Cup top scorers FIFA Club World Cup 2000: Anelka & Romário 2005: Amoroso, Crouch, Noor & Saborío 2006: Aboutrika 2007: Washington 2008: Rooney 2009: Denílson 2010: Molina 2011: Adriano & Messi 2012: Delgado & Satō 2013: Conca, Delgado, Iajour & Ronaldinho 2014: Bale, Ramos & Torrado 2015: Suárez 2016: Ronaldo 2017: Antônio, Romarinho & Ronaldo 2018: Bale & Borré 2019: Bounedjah & Elhouni 2020: Gignac 2021: Diaby, Ibrahim, Lukaku & Veiga 2022: Pedro 2023: Alvarez, Benzema & Maâloul 2025: Di María, García, Guirassy & Marcos Leonardo FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024: Rahimi 2025: Mayele vte Copa del Rey top scorers 1986: Azcona, Merayo & R. Sosa 1987: H. Sánchez & Narciso 1988: Bakero 1989: Alzugaray 1990: Aldridge & Moya 1991: Ziganda 1992: Polster, Rivera & Rodríguez 1993: Urban 1994: Coca & Gudelj 1995: Penev 1996: Pantić 1997: Klimowicz 1998: Rivaldo 1999: C. López 2000: Arenaza, Barata, Cembranos, Gâlcă, Hasselbaink, Míchel & Yordi 2001: Salva 2002: Guti & Raúl 2003: Portillo 2004: Raúl 2005: Huegún, Alejandro & Muñoz 2006: Ewerthon 2007: Saviola 2008: Migue 2009: Messi & Luís Fabiano 2010: Maxi 2011: Messi & Ronaldo 2012: Infante 2013: Costa 2014: Messi 2015: Aspas & Neymar 2016: Guidetti, Messi, Munir, Negredo & Suárez 2017: Ben Yedder & Messi 2018: Curto 2019: Ángel & Toko Ekambi 2020: Isak 2021: León 2022: Iglesias 2023: Kike 2024: Abdón & Douvikas & Villalibre 2025: Torres 2026: García vte Leagues Cup top scorers 2019: Ibargüen 2021: Mena 2023: Messi 2024: Baribo 2025: Correa vte 2007 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Italy Gianluigi Buffon Defenders Italy Fabio Cannavaro Italy Alessandro Nesta Spain Carles Puyol England John Terry Midfielders England Steven Gerrard Brazil Kaká Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo Forwards Ivory Coast Didier Drogba Argentina Lionel Messi Brazil Ronaldinho vte 2008 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Spain national football team Iker Casillas Defenders England national football team Rio Ferdinand Spain national football team Carles Puyol Spain national football team Sergio Ramos England national football team John Terry Midfielders England national football team Steven Gerrard Brazil national football team Kaká Spain national football team Xavi Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo Spain national football team Fernando Torres vte 2009 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Spain national football team Iker Casillas Defenders Brazil national football team Dani Alves France national football team Patrice Evra England national football team John Terry Serbia national football team Nemanja Vidić Midfielders England national football team Steven Gerrard Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Spain national football team Xavi Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo Spain national football team Fernando Torres vte 2010 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Spain national football team Iker Casillas Defenders Brazil national football team Lúcio Brazil national football team Maicon Spain national football team Gerard Piqué Spain national football team Carles Puyol Midfielders Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Netherlands national football team Wesley Sneijder Spain national football team Xavi Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo Spain national football team David Villa vte 2011 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Spain national football team Iker Casillas Defenders Brazil national football team Dani Alves Spain national football team Gerard Piqué Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Serbia national football team Nemanja Vidić Midfielders Spain national football team Xabi Alonso Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Spain national football team Xavi Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo England national football team Wayne Rooney vte 2012 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Spain national football team Iker Casillas Defenders Brazil national football team Dani Alves Brazil national football team Marcelo Spain national football team Gerard Piqué Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Midfielders Spain national football team Xabi Alonso Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Spain national football team Xavi Forwards Colombia national football team Radamel Falcao Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo vte 2013 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Germany national football team Manuel Neuer Defenders Brazil national football team Dani Alves Germany national football team Philipp Lahm Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Brazil national football team Thiago Silva Midfielders Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Spain national football team Franck Ribéry Spain national football team Xavi Forwards Sweden men's national football team Zlatan Ibrahimović Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo vte 2014 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Germany national football team Manuel Neuer Defenders Brazil national football team David Luiz Germany national football team Philipp Lahm Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Brazil national football team Thiago Silva Midfielders Argentina national football team Ángel Di María Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Germany national football team Toni Kroos Forwards Netherlands national football team Arjen Robben Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo Argentina national football team Lionel Messi vte 2015 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Germany national football team Manuel Neuer Defenders Brazil national football team Dani Alves Brazil national football team Marcelo Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Brazil national football team Thiago Silva Midfielders Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Croatia national football team Luka Modrić France national football team Paul Pogba Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Brazil national football team Neymar Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo vte 2016 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Germany national football team Manuel Neuer Defenders Brazil national football team Dani Alves Brazil national football team Marcelo Spain national football team Gerard Piqué Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Midfielders Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Germany national football team Toni Kroos Croatia national football team Luka Modrić Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo Uruguay national football team Luis Suárez vte 2017 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Italy national football team Gianluigi Buffon Defenders Brazil national football team Dani Alves Italy national football team Leonardo Bonucci Brazil national football team Marcelo Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Midfielders Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Germany national football team Toni Kroos Croatia national football team Luka Modrić Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Brazil national football team Neymar Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo vte 2018 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Spain national football team David De Gea Defenders Brazil national football team Dani Alves Brazil national football team Marcelo Spain national football team Sergio Ramos France national football team Raphaël Varane Midfielders Belgium national football team Eden Hazard France national football team N'Golo Kanté Croatia national football team Luka Modrić Forwards France national football team Kylian Mbappé Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo vte 2019 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Brazil national football team Alisson Defenders Netherlands national football team Matthijs de Ligt Brazil national football team Marcelo Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Netherlands national football team Virgil van Dijk Midfielders Netherlands national football team Frenkie de Jong Belgium national football team Eden Hazard Croatia national football team Luka Modrić Forwards France national football team Kylian Mbappé Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo vte 2020 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Brazil national football team Alisson Defenders England national football team Trent Alexander-Arnold Canada men's national soccer team Alphonso Davies Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Netherlands national football team Virgil van Dijk Midfielders Belgium national football team Kevin De Bruyne Germany national football team Joshua Kimmich Spain national football team Thiago Forwards Poland national football team Robert Lewandowski Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo vte 2021 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Italy national football team Gianluigi Donnarumma Defenders Austria national football team David Alaba Italy national football team Leonardo Bonucci Portugal national football team Rúben Dias Midfielders Belgium national football team Kevin De Bruyne Italy national football team Jorginho France national football team N'Golo Kanté Forwards Norway national football team Erling Haaland Poland national football team Robert Lewandowski Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo vte 2022 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Belgium national football team Thibaut Courtois Defenders Portugal national football team João Cancelo Morocco national football team Achraf Hakimi Netherlands national football team Virgil van Dijk Midfielders Brazil national football team Casemiro Belgium national football team Kevin De Bruyne Croatia national football team Luka Modrić Forwards France national football team Karim Benzema Norway national football team Erling Haaland France national football team Kylian Mbappé Argentina national football team Lionel Messi vte 2023 FIFA FIFPRO World 11 Goalkeeper Belgium national football team Thibaut Courtois Defenders Portugal national football team Rúben Dias England national football team John Stones England national football team Kyle Walker Midfielders England national football team Jude Bellingham Belgium national football team Kevin De Bruyne Portugal national football team Bernardo Silva Forwards Norway national football team Erling Haaland France national football team Kylian Mbappé Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Brazil national football team Vinícius Júnior vte 2008 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Casillas RB: Ramos CB: Terry CB: Puyol LB: Lahm MF: C. Ronaldo MF: Xavi MF: Fàbregas MF: Ribéry FW: Messi FW: Torres Coach: Ferguson vte 2009 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Casillas RB: Alves CB: Terry CB: Puyol LB: Evra MF: C. Ronaldo MF: Xavi MF: Kaká MF: Iniesta FW: Messi FW: Ibrahimović Coach: Guardiola vte 2010 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Casillas RB: Maicon CB: Piqué CB: Puyol LB: Cole MF: C. Ronaldo MF: Xavi MF: Sneijder MF: Iniesta FW: Messi FW: Villa Coach: Mourinho vte 2011 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Casillas RB: Alves CB: Piqué CB: Silva LB: Marcelo MF: Robben MF: Xavi MF: Iniesta MF: Bale FW: Messi FW: C. Ronaldo vte 2012 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Casillas RB: Ramos CB: Piqué CB: Silva LB: Lahm MF: Iniesta MF: Xavi MF: Pirlo MF: Özil FW: Messi FW: C. Ronaldo vte 2014 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Neuer RB: Lahm CB: Ramos CB: Godín LB: Alaba MF: Robben MF: Kroos MF: Di María FW: Messi FW: Ibrahimović FW: C. Ronaldo vte 2015 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Neuer RB: Alves CB: Ramos CB: Piqué LB: Alaba MF: Pogba MF: Iniesta MF: Rodríguez FW: C. Ronaldo FW: Messi FW: Neymar vte 2016 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Buffon RB: Boateng CB: Piqué CB: Ramos LB: Bonucci MF: Modrić MF: Kroos MF: Iniesta FW: Messi FW: Griezmann FW: C. Ronaldo vte 2017 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Buffon RB: Alves CB: Ramos CB: Chiellini LB: Marcelo MF: Modrić MF: Kroos MF: De Bruyne MF: Hazard FW: Messi FW: C. Ronaldo vte 2018 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Ter Stegen RB: Ramos CB: van Dijk CB: Varane LB: Marcelo MF: Modrić MF: Kanté MF: Hazard MF: Kylian Mbappé FW: Messi FW: C. Ronaldo vte 2019 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Alisson RB: Alexander-Arnold CB: De Ligt CB: Van Dijk LB: Robertson MF: De Jong MF: De Bruyne RW: Messi FW: Ronaldo FW: Lewandowski LW: Mané vte 2020 UEFA Team of the Year GK: Neuer RB: Kimmich CB: Ramos CB: van Dijk LB: Davies MF: Thiago MF: De Bruyne MF: Messi RW: C. Ronaldo FW: Lewandowski LW: Neymar vte 2025 South American Team of the Year GK: Rossi DF: Danilo DF: Gómez DF: Léo Pereira MF: Varela MF: Pulgar MF: Sosa MF: de Arrascaeta FW: Messi FW: Martínez FW: López vte 2014–15 La Liga Team of the Year GK: Bravo RB: Dani Alves CB: Piqué CB: Otamendi LB: Alba MF: J. Rodríguez MF: Krychowiak MF: Rakitić FW: Messi FW: Ronaldo FW: Griezmann Manager: Luis Enrique vte 2015–16 La Liga Team of the Year GK: Oblak RB: Ramos CB: Piqué CB: Godín LB: Marcelo MF: Iniesta MF: Busquets MF: Modrić FW: Messi FW: Ronaldo FW: Suárez vte 2022–23 Ligue 1 UNFP Team of the Year GK: Samba DF: Hakimi DF: Mbemba DF: Danso DF: Mendes MF: Thuram MF: Rongier MF: Fofana FW: Messi FW: Openda FW: Mbappé vte 2024 MLS Best XI GK: Kahlina DF: Alba DF: Gómez DF: Moreira MF: Acosta MF: Evander MF: Puig FW: Benteke FW: Bouanga FW: Hernández FW: Messi vte 2025 MLS Best XI GK: St. Clair DF: Blackmon DF: Freeman DF: Glesnes DF: Wagner MF: Berhalter MF: Evander MF: Roldan FW: Bouanga FW: Dreyer FW: Messi vte Sports Illustrated Soccer 2000s All-Decade Team Goalkeeper Italy national football team Gianluigi Buffon Defenders Brazil national football team Cafu Italy national football team Fabio Cannavaro Italy national football team Paolo Maldini Brazil national football team Roberto Carlos Midfielders Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo France national football team Zinedine Zidane France national football team Patrick Vieira Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Brazil national football team Ronaldinho Forwards Brazil national football team Ronaldo Manager Netherlands national football team Guus Hiddink vte UEFA All-time XI Goalkeeper Spain national football team Iker Casillas Defenders Germany national football team Philipp Lahm Spain national football team Carles Puyol Spain national football team Gerard Piqué Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Midfielders Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta England national football team Steven Gerrard Spain national football team Xavi Forwards Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo France national football team Thierry Henry Argentina national football team Lionel Messi vte Ballon d'Or Dream Team First Team Goalkeeper Soviet Union national football team Lev Yashin Defenders Brazil national football team Cafu Germany national football team Franz Beckenbauer Italy national football team Paolo Maldini Midfielders Argentina national football team Diego Maradona Spain national football team Xavi Germany national football team Lothar Matthäus Brazil national football team Pelé Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Brazil national football team Ronaldo Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo Second Team Goalkeeper Italy national football team Gianluigi Buffon Defenders Brazil national football team Carlos Alberto Italy national football team Franco Baresi Brazil national football team Roberto Carlos Midfielders Argentina national football team/Spain national football team Alfredo Di Stéfano Italy national football team Andrea Pirlo Netherlands national football team Frank Rijkaard France national football team Zinedine Zidane Forwards Brazil national football team Garrincha Netherlands national football team Johan Cruyff Brazil national football team Ronaldinho Third Team Goalkeeper Germany national football team Manuel Neuer Defenders Germany national football team Philipp Lahm Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Germany national football team Paul Breitner Midfielders France national football team Michel Platini Netherlands national football team Johan Neeskens Brazil national football team Didi Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Forwards Northern Ireland national football team George Best Netherlands national football team Marco van Basten France national football team Thierry Henry vte IFFHS All-time Men's World Dream Team Dream Team Goalkeeper Soviet Union national football team Lev Yashin Defenders Brazil national football team Cafu Germany national football team Franz Beckenbauer Italy national football team Franco Baresi Italy national football team Paolo Maldini Midfielders Spain national football team Xavi Argentina national football team Diego Maradona Netherlands national football team Johan Cruyff Forwards Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo Brazil national football team Pelé Argentina national football team Lionel Messi B Team Goalkeeper Italy national football team Gianluigi Buffon Defenders Brazil national football team Carlos Alberto England national football team Bobby Moore Argentina national football team Daniel Passarella Brazil national football team Roberto Carlos Midfielders Germany national football team Lothar Matthäus France national football team Zinedine Zidane France national football team Michel Platini Forwards Brazil national football team Ronaldo Germany national football team Gerd Müller Argentina national football team/Spain national football team Alfredo Di Stéfano vte IFFHS All-time Men's South American Dream Team Goalkeeper Argentina national football team Amadeo Carrizo Defenders Brazil national football team Cafu Chile national football team Elías Figueroa Argentina national football team Daniel Passarella Brazil national football team Roberto Carlos Midfielders Brazil national football team Didi Argentina national football team Diego Maradona Brazil national football team Zico Forwards Argentina national football team Alfredo Di Stéfano Brazil national football team Pelé Argentina national football team Lionel Messi vte IFFHS World's Man Team of the Decade 2011–2020 Goalkeeper Germany national football team Manuel Neuer Defenders Germany national football team Philipp Lahm Spain national football team Sergio Ramos Netherlands national football team Virgil van Dijk Brazil national football team Marcelo Midfielders Germany national football team Toni Kroos Spain national football team Andrés Iniesta Croatia national football team Luka Modrić Forwards Argentina national football team Lionel Messi Poland national football team Robert Lewandowski Portugal national football team Cristiano Ronaldo vte Aldo Rovira Trophy Men's winners 2009–10: Messi 2010–11: Messi 2011–12: Abidal 2012–13: Messi 2013–14: Mascherano 2014–15: Messi 2015–16: Suárez 2016–17: Messi 2017–18: Messi 2018–19: Piqué 2019–20: Ter Stegen 2020–21: Pedri 2021–22: Gavi 2022–23: Ter Stegen 2023–24: Yamal 2024–25: Yamal Women's winners 2020–21: Putellas 2021–22: Putellas 2022–23: Bonmatí 2023–24: Bonmatí 2024–25: Pina vte Premi Barça Jugadors Men's winners 2009–10: Bojan 2010–11: Iniesta 2011–12: Xavi 2012–13: Xavi 2013–14: Puyol 2014–15: Mascherano 2015–16: Messi 2016–17: Roberto 2017–18: Rakitić 2018–19: not awarded 2019–20: Ter Stegen 2020–21: de Jong 2021–22: Pedri 2022–23: Ter Stegen 2023–24: Yamal 2024–25: Pedri Women's winners 2019–20: Putellas 2020–21: Bonmatí 2021–22: Bonmatí 2022–23: Bonmatí 2023–24: Bonmatí 2024–25: Pina vte Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year 2000: United States Tiger Woods 2001: United States Tiger Woods 2002: Germany Michael Schumacher 2003: United States Lance Armstrong 2004: Germany Michael Schumacher 2005: Switzerland Roger Federer 2006: Switzerland Roger Federer 2007: Switzerland Roger Federer 2008: Switzerland Roger Federer 2009: Jamaica Usain Bolt 2010: Jamaica Usain Bolt 2011: Spain Rafael Nadal 2012: Serbia Novak Djokovic 2013: Jamaica Usain Bolt 2014: Germany Sebastian Vettel 2015: Serbia Novak Djokovic 2016: Serbia Novak Djokovic 2017: Jamaica Usain Bolt 2018: Switzerland Roger Federer 2019: Serbia Novak Djokovic 2020: United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton & Argentina Lionel Messi 2021: Spain Rafael Nadal 2022: Netherlands Max Verstappen 2023: Argentina Lionel Messi 2024: Serbia Novak Djokovic 2025: Sweden Armand Duplantis 2026: Spain Carlos Alcaraz vte BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year 1960: Herb Elliott 1961: Valeriy Brumel 1962: Donald Jackson 1963: Jacques Anquetil 1964: Abebe Bikila 1965: Ron Clarke & Gary Player 1966: Eusébio & Garfield Sobers 1967: George Moore 1968: Ludmila Belousova & Oleg Protopopov 1969: Rod Laver 1970: Pelé 1971: Lee Trevino 1972: Olga Korbut 1973: Muhammad Ali 1974: Muhammad Ali 1975: Arthur Ashe 1976: Nadia Comăneci 1977: Niki Lauda 1978: Muhammad Ali 1979: Björn Borg 1980: Jack Nicklaus 1981: Chris Evert 1982: Jimmy Connors 1983: Carl Lewis 1984: Seve Ballesteros 1985: Boris Becker 1986: Greg Norman 1987: Martina Navratilova 1988: Steffi Graf 1989: Mike Tyson 1990: Mal Meninga 1991: Mike Powell 1992: Andre Agassi 1993: Greg Norman 1994: Brian Lara 1995: Jonah Lomu 1996: Evander Holyfield & Michael Johnson 1997: Martina Hingis 1998: Mark O'Meara 1999: Maurice Greene 2000: Tiger Woods 2001: Goran Ivanišević 2002: Ronaldo 2003: Lance Armstrong 2004: Roger Federer 2005: Shane Warne 2006: Roger Federer 2007: Roger Federer 2008: Usain Bolt 2009: Usain Bolt 2010: Rafael Nadal 2011: Novak Djokovic 2012: Usain Bolt 2013: Sebastian Vettel 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo 2015: Dan Carter 2016: Simone Biles 2017: Roger Federer 2018: Francesco Molinari 2019: Eliud Kipchoge 2020: Khabib Nurmagomedov 2021: Rachael Blackmore 2022: Lionel Messi 2023: Erling Haaland 2024: Armand Duplantis 2025: Armand Duplantis vte Sporting News Sportsman / Pro Athlete & College Athlete / Athlete of the Year 1968: Denny McLain 1969: Tom Seaver 1970: John Wooden 1971: Lee Trevino 1972: Charlie Finley 1973: O. J. Simpson 1974: Lou Brock 1975: Archie Griffin 1976: Larry O'Brien 1977: Steve Cauthen 1978: Ron Guidry 1979: Willie Stargell 1980: George Brett 1981: Wayne Gretzky 1982: Whitey Herzog 1983: Bowie Kuhn 1984: Peter Ueberroth 1985: Pete Rose 1986: Larry Bird 1987: None 1988: Jackie Joyner-Kersee 1989: Joe Montana 1990: Nolan Ryan 1991: Michael Jordan 1992: Mike Krzyzewski 1993: Cito Gaston & Pat Gillick 1994: Emmitt Smith 1995: Cal Ripken Jr. 1996: Joe Torre 1997: Mark McGwire 1998: Mark McGwire & Sammy Sosa 1999: New York Yankees 2000: Marshall Faulk & Kurt Warner 2001: Curt Schilling 2002: Tyrone Willingham 2003: Dick Vermeil & Jack McKeon 2004: Tom Brady 2005: Matt Leinart 2006: Dwyane Wade 2007: Tom Brady 2008: Eli Manning & Stephen Curry 2009: Mariano Rivera & Harrison Barnes 2010: Roy Halladay & Kyle Singler 2011: Aaron Rodgers 2012: LeBron James 2013–2020: No award given 2021: Shohei Ohtani 2022: Lionel Messi 2023: Caitlin Clark & Angel Reese 2024: Shohei Ohtani & Caitlin Clark vte L'Équipe Champion of Champions Original award 1980: Eric Heiden 1981: Sebastian Coe 1982: Paolo Rossi 1983: Carl Lewis 1984: Carl Lewis 1985: Sergey Bubka 1986: Diego Maradona 1987: Ben Johnson 1988: Florence Griffith Joyner 1989: Greg LeMond 1990: Ayrton Senna 1991: Carl Lewis 1992: Michael Jordan 1993: Noureddine Morceli 1994: Romário 1995: Jonathan Edwards 1996: Michael Johnson 1997: Sergey Bubka 1998: Zinedine Zidane 1999: Andre Agassi 2000: Tiger Woods 2001: Michael Schumacher 2002: Michael Schumacher 2003: Michael Schumacher 2004: Hicham El Guerrouj 2005: Roger Federer 2006: Roger Federer 2007: Roger Federer 2008: Usain Bolt 2009: Usain Bolt 2010: Rafael Nadal 2011: Lionel Messi Male and female awards separated Male award 2012: Usain Bolt 2013: Rafael Nadal 2014: Renaud Lavillenie 2015: Usain Bolt 2016: Usain Bolt 2017: Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal 2018: Marcel Hirscher 2019: Rafael Nadal 2020: Lewis Hamilton 2021: Novak Djokovic 2022: Lionel Messi 2023: Novak Djokovic 2024: Léon Marchand Female award 2012: Serena Williams 2013: Serena Williams 2014: Katie Ledecky 2015: Serena Williams 2016: Simone Biles 2017: Katie Ledecky 2018: Simone Biles 2019: Simone Biles 2020: Marte Olsbu Røiseland 2021: Elaine Thompson-Herah 2022: Iga Świątek 2023: Simone Biles 2024: Simone Biles vte Best International Athlete ESPY Award winners 2006: Pujols 2007: Federer 2008: Nadal 2009: Bolt 2010–2011: Award not given 2012: Messi 2013: Bolt 2014: Ronaldo 2015: Messi 2016: Ronaldo 2017: Bolt 2018: Ronaldo 2019: Messi 2020: Award not given 2021: Ronaldo 2022: Mbappé vte Notable people from Rosario Culture Roberto Fontanarrosa Lucio Fontana José Bonaparte Guillermo Gianninazzi Erminio Blotta Juan-David Nasio Leticia Cossettini Olga Cossettini Sport Vicente de la Mata Marcelo Bielsa Juan Imhoff César Menotti Ángel Di María Mauro Icardi Éver Banega César Delgado Kily González Marcelo Delgado Luciano Figueroa Edgardo Bauza Lionel Messi Ezequiel Garay Maxi Rodríguez Tomás Carlovich Politics Che Guevara Agustín Rossi Lisandro de la Torre Entertainment Libertad Lamarque Alberto Olmedo Darío Grandinetti Luis Machín Renata Fronzi Juan Carlos Baglietto Fito Páez Liliana Herrero Litto Nebbia José Cura Angélica Gorodischer Daniel Rivera Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata International ISNIVIAFGNDFASTWorldCat National United StatesFranceBnF dataJapanItalyCzech RepublicRussiaSpainNetherlandsNorwayTaiwanLatviaCroatiaChileGreeceArgentinaKoreaSwedenPolandIsraelCatalonia People DDB Other IdRefOpen LibraryYale LUX Categories: Lionel Messi1987 birthsLiving people20th-century Roman Catholics21st-century Argentine sportsmen21st-century Roman Catholics2006 FIFA World Cup players2007 Copa América players2010 FIFA World Cup players2011 Copa América players2014 FIFA World Cup players2015 Copa América playersCopa América Centenario players2018 FIFA World Cup players2019 Copa América players2021 Copa América players2022 FIFA World Cup players2024 Copa América playersArgentina 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Tom Maston May 07, 2026 10:00+01:00 150 Ballon d'Or 2026 Power Rankings: Harry Kane's goals keep him on top - but Champions League exit opens the door for Ousmane Dembele, Declan Rice and others Power rankings Ballon d'Or H. Kane K. Mbappe Erling Haaland L. Messi L. Yamal Vinicius Junior D. Rice M. Olise Vitinha L. Diaz Raphinha J. Alvarez C. Ronaldo Champions League World Cup Premier League LaLiga Serie A Bundesliga Ligue 1 Africa Cup of Nations FEATURES With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly presumably disappearing into the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d'Or hasn't felt so open for the best part of 20 years, with countless players now beginning each campaign believing they have a chance of claiming the most prestigious individual prize football has to offer. Ousmane Dembele emerged from a career plagued by injuries and inconsistencies to win the Golden Ball in 2025, and he is among a crowded field of contenders one year on. Dembele largely secured the award off the back of his performances in helping Paris Saint-Germain win their first European Cup, and the Champions League is yet again likely to have a big say on the Ballon d'Or battle this time around. However, it's also a World Cup year, so there is a chance that the eventual winner doesn't become clear until the summer in North America. Don't forget, too, that the Africa Cup of Nations will also be taken into account, meaning there could be some players who not only shine for their clubs but also impress at two major tournaments over the course of the campaign. The Ballon d'Or race is a marathon not a sprint, and it's worth bearing in mind that Dembele didn't emerge as a potential victor until midway through the 2024-25 campaign. However, with the European season now entering its final furlong, GOAL's Ballon d'Or Power Rankings continue to track the likeliest winners of the Golden Ball... Previous update: April 30, 2026. Players dropping out: Rayan Cherki. Julian Alvarez Atletico Madrid 2025-26Getty Images 20Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid) ⬇️ In 2025-26: 21 goals, 10 assists. It's been an up-and-down season for Julian Alvarez, who made a fast start for Atletico Madrid, including scoring a brace to help take down Real Madrid in the derby in September. He has, however, scored just twice in La Liga since that game, meaning another tilt at the Ballon d'Or seemed beyond him. That all changed thanks in large part to his performances in the Champions League knockouts. Alvarez netted six goals in eight games as Atleti reached the semi-finals, including a stunning free-kick against Barcelona at Camp Nou that reminded the world of his ability. Missing out on a place in the final, as well as defeat in the Copa del Rey final, has now dealt a hammer blow to Alvarez's hopes of challenging for the Ballon d'Or, even if he will again lead the line for Argentina at the World Cup this summer. Advertisement Atletico de Madrid v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second LegGetty Images Sport 19Pedri (Barcelona) ⬆️ In 2025-26: Four goals, 11 assists. Won Supercopa de Espana. Pedri remains one of the most masterful midfielders in the game despite having only just turned 23, with Barcelona only able to truly tick when their maestro in the middle of the park is available. That has not always been the case this season, with injury issues again beginning to plague Pedri. But when he has been fit, there have been few better players in La Liga. Hansi Flick's side are currently well on track to defend their domestic crown, but their Champions League hopes ended after they crashed out at the quarter-final stage to Atletico Madrid. Pedri will still be a key member of Spain's squad as they go in search of World Cup glory, but any hope he had of battling for the Ballon d'Or has all-but disappeared. FC Internazionale v Parma Calcio 1913 - Serie AGetty Images Sport 18Lautaro Martinez (Inter) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 24 goals, seven assists. Won Serie A. Though they were embarrassingly dumped out of the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt, Inter are still on for another strong season, with the Nerazzuri having wrapped up the Serie A title ahead of their appearance in the Coppa Italia final. As in previous years, Lautaro Martinez has been the driving force behind that success. Well clear as the top scorer in the Italian top-flight, Lautaro will also again be part of Argentina's squad for their World Cup defence this summer. Having got the major tournament monkey off his back by starring at the 2024 Copa America, perhaps this will be the 28-year-old's time to shine on the global stage. ENJOYED THIS STORY? Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting Add as a preferred source on Google Most Read 1 Sneijder says UEFA should have CANCELLED Arsenal vs Atleti before half-time 2 Pique handed heavy ban following Andorra referee clash 3 PSG's repeat is on! Kvara & Dembele lead way to UCL final 4 Explained: Why PSG survived penalty shout against Bayern 5 Agent gives Haaland transfer update amid Barcelona links 6 Kane swallowed & Olise silenced as Bayern beaten in UCL semi 7 Arsenal, beware - 'Kvaradona' looks unstoppable right now 8 Major row at Real: Valverde reportedly had to be taken to hospital FBL-EUR-C1-ARSENAL-ATLETICOAFP 17Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) 🆕 In 2025-26: 13 goals, nine assists. Due to both form and fitness, this has not been a vintage season for Bukayo Saka. However, there is now a real chance that it ends in the most memorable fashion for the Arsenal winger with the Gunners four games away from completing a Premier League-Champions League double. Saka's return to the fold sparked Arsenal into producing their best performance for weeks against Fulham as they wrestled back control of the title race before the England international then scored the goal that booked the north London outfit's place European football's biggest game on May 30 in Budapest. Throw in that Saka will surely be a key starter for the Three Lions at the World Cup this summer, and his Ballon d'Or case might only just be getting started. RCD Espanyol de Barcelona v Real Madrid CF - LaLiga EA SportsGetty Images Sport 16Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 22 goals, 14 assists. Vinicius Jr endured a miserable 2025 when it came to his performances for Real Madrid, managing just eight goals in La Liga over the course of the calendar year as his Ballon d'Or revenge tour went awry. However, as the old adage goes, form is temporary but class is permanent, and Vini showed that he can still prove to be decisive during a hot streak to kick-off 2026 that included him scoring four goals in six Champions League knockout games. The former Flamengo talent's return to his best level doesn't look like it will be enough to help bring silverware to the Bernabeu, while his abysmal record with Brazil desperately needs to improve by the time the World Cup gets going. As such, a Ballon d'Or nomination is about as much as he can hope for now. CA Osasuna v FC Barcelona - LaLiga EA SportsGetty Images Sport 15Raphinha (Barcelona) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 19 goals, eight assists. Won Supercopa de Espana. For some, Raphinha finishing fifth in the 2025 Ballon d'Or voting was a disgrace given the quite ridiculous attacking numbers he posted for Barcelona. They had a point, too, and it seemed that the Brazilian was keen to get himself back among the contenders after shaking off a nagging hamstring problem that stalled his progress through the opening months of the campaign. He produced match-winning performances against Real Madrid in the final of the Supercopa de Espana and against Newcastle in the Champions League, only to suffer another injury that proved costly in terms of Barca's European hopes. He will, however, be one of the leaders for Brazil at the World Cup, with the Selecao having shown improvements under Carlo Ancelotti as the tournament nears. Manchester United v Liverpool - Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport 14Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 11 goals, 23 assists. With the Premier League single-season assist record well within his sights, leading to increased calls for him to be named the English top-flight's Player of the Year, Bruno Fernandes is yet again proving to be the man who makes Manchester United tick. And if he can maintain this form through to the end of the campaign and enjoy a strong World Cup for Portugal, a Ballon d'Or nomination should be his. Winning the Golden Ball would be another thing altogether, though. With United not in Europe and without a trophy to show for their efforts, Fernandes would had to have enjoyed a truly remarkable campaign to get himself into the running among the main contenders. As good as he's been, he hasn't hit that level. Al Nassr v Al Ahli : Saudi Pro LeagueGetty Images Sport 13Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 32 goals, six assists. Only one man, Sir Stanley Matthews, has ever won the Ballon d'Or aged 40 or above. Cristiano Ronaldo joining that exclusive club may well seem farfetched to those whose focus remains on the European game. However, the five-time Golden Ball winner continues to bang in the goals in Saudi Arabia, and he may well finally break his trophy duck in the Middle East this season as, after a mid-season blip, Al-Nassr are back on top of the Pro League table and into the final of AFC's Champions League Two (Asia's version of the Europa League). Ronaldo is averaging almost a goal a game for the league leaders this term, and with FIFA having given him a reprieve so that he can play in the World Cup from the very start, he will again be leading the line for a Portugal team that will fancy their chances after winning the UEFA Nations League last year. Should Ronaldo taste success at club and international level over the next few months, he might not be able to be denied another Ballon d'Or... TOPSHOT-FBL-MLS-MIAMI-AUSTINAFP 12Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 32 goals, 20 assists. Won MLS Cup. He couldn't, could he?! The days of Lionel Messi even being nominated for the Ballon d'Or were thought to be behind us, but after guiding Inter Miami to their first-ever MLS Cup and with Argentina among the favourites to win the World Cup, there is a real chance that the eight-time winner finds himself back in the running for the Golden Ball come the summer. Messi proved to be a class apart on his way to winning a second-straight MLS MVP award as he provided six goals and seven assists in Miami's six play-off matches alone, and certainly that success at club level would be taken into account if he can help Argentina defend their global crown in North America in 2026. For all the talent around him, Messi remains at the heart of the Albiceleste's line-up, and thus any triumph in the country he now calls home will likely be attributed largely to him once more. Arsenal FC v Atletico de Madrid - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final Second LegGetty Images Sport 11Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal) ⬆️ In 2025-26: Four goals, five assists, 27 clean sheets. Perhaps no player encapsulates modern-day Arsenal more than Gabriel Magalhaes, with the Brazil international having emerged as one of the most dangerous set-piece weapons within the Premier League, while his physical style of defending has rarely been as in vogue within the past couple of decades as it is right now. Though William Saliba remains as classy as ever, Gabriel should now be considered the more important of Arsenal's centre-back duo, and if he can keep popping up with important goals during the run-in, and perhaps even in the Champions League final, all while keeping them out at the other end, then a strong World Cup with the Selecao should be enough to rubber-stamp himself a place among the Ballon d'Or nominees. FC Bayern München v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final Second LegGetty Images Sport 10Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich) ⬇️ In 2025-26: 28 goals, 23 assists. Won Bundesliga & DFL-Supercup. Liverpool fans might be forgiven for wondering whether their season might have been far more successful had Luis Diaz not been sold last summer. The versatile forward played an important role in the Reds' title triumph of 2024-25, but his desire for a new challenge led to them accepting a €75m (£65.5m/$88m) bid from Bayern Munich for the Colombia international. Diaz hasn't looked back since, having struck up a fine understanding with Harry Kane and the rest of his Bayern team-mates. Some of his strikes in the Bundesliga have been stunning, while his thrilling performances in the Champions League will definitely have caught the Ballon d'Or voters' eyes, even if Bayern have ultimately come up short in Europe again. When you factor in that Diaz will also be playing at his first World Cup this summer for a Colombia team who are being tipped as dark horses, he has all the makings of a Golden Ball dark horse. FC Bayern München v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final Second LegGetty Images Sport 9Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain) ⬆️ In 2025-26: Seven goals, 10 assists. Won Trophee des Champions, UEFA Super Cup & FIFA Intercontinental Cup. Vitinha has come a long way from his underwhelming loan spell at Wolves five years ago to finishing on the Ballon d'Or podium in 2025, and the PSG dictator-in-chief is now regarded by many as the best midfielder on the planet. Certainly, he has played in such a fashion for much of the season, and has even added more goals and assists to his game as Luis Enrique's side have again made their way to the Champions League final. Vitinha will also form part of a Portugal squad this summer that, after winning the 2025 Nations League, has a genuine belief that they can triumph at the World Cup. Should they do so, then their man in the middle will likely have played a massive part. Everton v Manchester City - Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport 8Erling Haaland (Manchester City) ⬇️ In 2025-26: 49 goals, nine assists. Won Carabao Cup. After an underwhelming season by his own lofty standards, Erling Haaland went into 'Terminator Mode' to begin the current campaign, becoming a one-man battering ram for Manchester City as they aimed to re-establish themselves as challengers for the biggest prizes. A subsequent dry spell to start 2026 threatened to both ruin Haaland's Ballon d'Or chances as well as City's hopes of silverware as they crashed out of the Champions League, but they have since bounced back, winning the Carabao Cup while closing the gap on leaders Arsenal in the Premier League and reaching the final of the FA Cup. Haaland's candidacy has also been boosted by Norway's first qualification for the World Cup since 1998, which offers their star striker the chance to appear at a major tournament for the first time. The Scandinavians are no more than dark horses to triumph in North America, but Haaland could yet use the global stage to remind voters of what he is capable of. FBL-EUR-C1-BAYERN MUNICH-PSGAFP 7Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 21 goals, 10 assists. Won Trophee des Champions, UEFA Super Cup & FIFA Intercontinental Cup. If we were to crown the outstanding player of the Champions League knockout stages, then Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would be head and shoulders above pretty much everyone else. The PSG winger became the first player in the competition's history to score or assist in seven successive knockout games, with some stunning strikes included in that number as the defending champions fought their way to another final. Kvaratskhelia's season-long form has not reached those same heights, however, while Georgia's failure to qualify for the World Cup threatens to put a ceiling on where he can finish in the final Ballon d'Or reckoning. There is still a path to at least the podium for the man they call 'Kvaradona', and he could barely be doing more to ensure he gets there. FC Bayern München v Real Madrid CF - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second LegGetty Images Sport 6Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 47 goals, nine assists. Is this the year Kylian Mbappe finally gets his hands on the Ballon d'Or? Almost from the moment he emerged as a teenager at Monaco, the forward has been anointed a future Golden Ball winner. But having recently celebrated his 27th birthday, Mbappe is still waiting for his opportunity to stand atop the podium in his hometown Paris. For much of the season, he could have done little more to give himself the best chance possible of ending that wait, as Mbappe carried a struggling Real Madrid, to the point that he picked up a knee injury that he has struggled to fully recover from while Los Blancos' hopes of ending the season with a trophy have gradually drifted away. Mbappe does, however, tend to save his best performances for World Cups, so expect the France captain to go the distance in the Ballon d'Or race even as his club campaign looks likely to end in disappointment. FC Bayern München v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final Second LegGetty Images Sport 5Michael Olise (Bayern Munich) ⬇️ In 2025-26: 22 goals, 32 assists. Won Bundesliga & DFL-Supercup. Anyone who predicted that Michael Olise would struggle to make the step up from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich has been sorely mistaken, with the winger having strung together almost two years of fantastic performances for the Bundesliga champions. Equally capable of scoring as he is creating goals for others, the 24-year-old has grown into one of the most fearsome forward players in the German top-flight while also making his mark on the Champions League, most notably against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, whom he ran ragged for long periods at the Bernabeu before capping the tie with a goal back in Bavaria. Olise's club performances have also helped him lock down a starting spot in the France line-up despite intense competition for places. As such, he could be one of the stars of the upcoming World Cup for one of the favourites to lift the trophy. Arsenal FC v Atletico de Madrid - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final Second LegGetty Images Sport 4Declan Rice (Arsenal) ⬆️ In 2025-26: Six goals, 13 assists. Declan Rice announced himself as one of the world's elite midfielders with his performances against Real Madrid in last season's Champions League, and the Arsenal man has gone from strength to strength since. Rice is now one of the Gunners' most important players as they go in search of not just the Premier League title but also a first-ever Champions League triumph, with both trophies now well within their grasp after a monumental week in north London. Rice's driving runs, defensive contributions and set-piece deliveries mean games rarely pass him by, while he is also a certain starter for a Thomas Tuchel-led England side that looks capable of ending 60 years of hurt by winning the 2026 World Cup. Ousmane Dembele PSG 2025-26Getty Images 3Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 19 goals, 11 assists. Won Trophee des Champions, UEFA Super Cup & FIFA Intercontinental Cup. Injuries limited the impact Dembele was able to have on the first half of PSG's season, meaning him defending his Ballon d'Or crown looked to be off the table. However, since returning to full fitness, he has forced his way back into the reckoning by rediscovering his best form, most notably with match-winning performances against both Liverpool and Bayern Munich in the Champions League knockouts. Luis Enrique's side are now one win away from repeating their Champions League triumph from last season, while Dembele is set to be a key member of a France team that is rounding into form ahead of the World Cup. And so, while his personal performances have not consistently hit the heights of 2024-25, Dembele could still force his way into contention by mid-July. FBL-EUR-C1-ATLETICO MADRID-BARCELONAAFP 2Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) ⬆️ In 2025-26: 25 goals, 20 assists. Won Supercopa de Espana. The bookmakers' Ballon d'Or favourite heading into the season, Lamine Yamal is well on course to become the first player under the age of 21 to claim the award - and he wouldn't even have to win it in 2026 to do so! The Barcelona teenager's performances in the latter stages of last season's Champions League saw him emerge in the eyes of many as the finest footballer in the world, and his runners-up finish behind Dembele in the voting was testament to that. There are those who still believe Yamal needs to produce more decisive moments in the biggest games, while there are concerns that the number of matches he has played at such a young age are leading to an increase in injury issues that have ultimately brought a premature end to his campaign. Yamal should be back available for Spain at the World Cup, and if he can light up another major international tournament this summer, he could yet still take home the Ballon d'Or. FBL-EUR-C1-BAYERN MUNICH-PSGAFP 1Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) ↔ In 2025-26: 59 goals, seven assists. Won Bundesliga & DFL-Supercup. There will always be those who don't fully appreciate Harry Kane, but now that he has got the trophy monkey off his back that so many used to beat him with over the years, the Bayern Munich striker looks like a man on a mission, utterly determined to show that he is also worthy of individual recognition as he continues to score at a remarkable rate. As well as netting mountains of goals, Kane has showcased his all-round game to devastating effect for the Bundesliga champions, and if he can maintain this form, then further silverware could be coming his way before the summer is over. England fan are praying that their captain doesn't again run out of steam before the World Cup, with Kane key to the Three Lions' hopes of ending their agonising six-decade wait for a major honour at international level. Investing Only £200 With AI Can Generate Second Salary Turn just £200 into a second salary potentially using AI‑driven strategies that chase high volatility, rapid trades, and bold market moves. £200 stake, big ambition. Start Now Elite Trade UK | Sponsored British Banks' AI Investing System is Now Open to The Public Minimum Investment £200. Join Leading & Trusted AI System Today. 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Bayern Munich coach questioned over key decisions in PSG defeat as legend praises Michael Olise & Luis Diaz impact | Goal.com Canada Goal Roy Keane makes huge Michael Carrick U-turn after claiming former midfielder should not be handed permanent job at Man Utd | Goal.com Goal Conversation150 Comments 10 Viewing Log in Sort by Best revetiat62 16 April, 2026 nobody who isnt playing in the top 5/6 leagues shouldn't be included yet, maybe if they win the world cup but not until then. Reply 34 3 Share Paul Hase 1 day ago if somebody wins the world cup with strong contriubtion, he can still win. Which means. Yamal can still win. even Messi. or CR7. but CR7 did nearly nothing so far at the World Cup so it's not very likely Reply 3 1 Share 1 reply Show 1 more reply Lugard Amadi 29 November, 2025 For Harlaand to win it, City have to win the league or champions league and Norway needs to get to the quarter finals at the World Cup. Mbappe will win it if France wins the World Cup. It would be either Kane or Rice if England wins the World Cup Reply 31 4 Share Olalekan Shobogun 30 April, 2026 Michael olise should win it if France win the world cup Reply 8 Share 1 reply Show 1 more reply Pranav Anand 10 April, 2026 No wayy Halland is second with 55g/a in the pl , whereas Mbappe on second with 54g/a in the la liga, Halland won a carabao cup , fa cup on the way , whereas Mbappe is going trophyless ( not including things about the world cup) . Rethink about the power rankings once more man. Reply 20 5 Share Jasim Aquil 24 October, 2025 The list is overall accurate , with Kane leading for now ,how is Vinicius number 9 in the list. Players like Olise or some other player like Alvarez from atlethico are more deserving.Yamal should be in the bottom end of the list Reply 60 20 Share Victor Daniel 24 October, 2025 His form so far this season earns him that right chief! 4 goals, 4 assist, Madrid topping Laliga for now, what more could he have done to merit and entry? Reply 21 14 Share Show 5 more replies Mohith Karanth 25 December, 2025 Seriously? Messi? he plays in the MLS for god's sake.. Reply 69 9 Share Just a football fan 26 December, 2025 Lol 😂😂😂 bringing MLS into the list is one hell of a joke 🤣🤣🤣 Reply 40 10 Share Show 3 more replies Powered by TermsPrivacyFeedback Hidden Hearing are looking for seniors in Keighley who want to hear better Hidden Hearing UK | Sponsored New System for Making Money Takes GB by Storm Minimum £200 Investment. No Experience Required. Easy & Fast to Start. Join a Leading, Verified & Trusted Broker Now Prime UK Place | Sponsored The Toy That Brings A Little Extra To Your ‘Me Time’ Elevate your evening with Ann Summers’ newest must-haves. Discreetly shipped and free delivery over £50. Ann Summers | Sponsored Like a Pressure Washer for Nail Fungus — Genius! UK Health Desk | Sponsored Kylian Mbappe's had enough! 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