Messi not nominated for Ballon d'Or for first time in 16 years

France Football have revealed the full 30-name list of Ballon d'Or nominees for 2022.

Barcelona legend Leo Messi does not find his name among them.

It is the first time since 2006 that Messi is not nominated for the award. Back then, Messi finished in 20th place tied with five other players, having received two votes.

It is true that Leo didn't have the best year at Paris Saint-Germain. But he's been on a very good level since the start of 2022, winning three trophies and registering 14 goals and 13 assists in 24 games.

Besides, the current list of nominees contains some dubious picks like Dusan Vlahovic, Darwin Nunez and even Cristiano Ronaldo.

Nevertheless, Messi remains the player with the most Ballon d'Ors, winning it on seven occasions.