Ronaldo leads all-time Ballon d’Or nominations, as Messi second

Abdullateef Fowewe

Cristiano Ronaldo tops the Ballon d’Or all-time nominations list with 18, ahead of Lionel Messi (16) and AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini (13), according to a ranking published by the award’s official account and reflected on ballondor.com.

Cristiano Ronaldo – 18 nominations: The Portuguese forward holds the record for most shortlist appearances in Ballon d’Or history, underlining his longevity at the elite level from his early Manchester United days through his Real Madrid peak and beyond.

Lionel Messi – 16 nominations: The eight-time winner is second on the all-time list, with his nominations spanning his Barcelona dominance, PSG stint, and historic 2023 triumph after leading Argentina to World Cup glory.

Paolo Maldini – 13 nominations: The AC Milan and Italy defensive icon is the most-nominated defender in the award’s history, bridging eras from the late 1980s into the 2000s without ever winning the trophy.

The official ranking also highlights a trio of legends with 12 nominations each: Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, and Karim Benzema, emphasising sustained excellence across different generations and roles.

Johan Cruyff: The Dutch visionary, a three-time Ballon d’Or winner, was a constant presence on the shortlist during the 1970s as both player and later as a transformative coach.

Franz Beckenbauer: “Der Kaiser,” a two-time winner, earned 12 nominations while redefining the sweeper role for West Germany and Bayern Munich.

Karim Benzema: The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner accumulated 12 nominations over a long Real Madrid career, peaking with his Champions League-winning 2021–22 campaign.

While Messi leads with eight Ballon d’Or wins and Ronaldo has five, the nominations metric rewards consistency and repeated recognition among the world’s best 30 players each season.

Ronaldo’s 18 nominations include an uninterrupted run from 2004 until his streak ended in 2023, the longest such sequence in the award’s history.