The 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or has been announced. Messi is the oldest player on the list and the only player born in the 1980s. The age span of the Ballon d'Or candidates reaches 20 years, with Yamal and Cubarsi being only 19 years old.
Ballon d'Or Candidate Age Distribution
Born in the 1980s: Messi (39 years old)
Born in the 1990s: Mané (34 years old), Kane (33 years old), Bruno Fernandes (32 years old), Marquinhos (32 years old)
Born after 1995: Rodri (30 years old), Fabián Ruiz (30 years old), Quiñones (29 years old), Luis Díaz (29 years old), Dembélé (29 years old), Cucurella (28 years old), Gabriel (28 years old), Lautaro (28 years old), Rice (27 years old), Hakimi (27 years old), Mbappé (27 years old), Upamecano (27 years old)
Born in the 2000s: Ferran Torres (26 years old), Vitinha (26 years old), Haaland (26 years old), Vinícius (26 years old), Kvaratskhelia (25 years old), Saliba (25 years old), Mendes (24 years old), Olise (24 years old), Pacho (24 years old), Bellingham (23 years old), Neves (21 years old)
Born in the 2000s: Cubarsi (19 years old), Yamal (19 years old)
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Adamkings1
23
Messi for Balloon d'or...
Davichi
17
Messi is in a different class and any who refuses to acknowledge that is just being biased. It's too easy to see the reasons why he's the undisputed GOAT.