🚨 France Football explains the reason for the presence of each candidate.
Here’s what they highlighted about Leo Messi:
"Why is Messi nominated? At 39, Lionel Messi returned to the shortlist after two years away because he again carried Argentina to a World Cup final and proved that his game still leads both scoring and creation. The official Ballon d’Or site framed it as the secret of his longevity. It added: His legacy as a genius was secured from a relatively young age. Messi is universally considered the prototype of the modern 'number 10' and the false '9' . He is a player capable of simultaneously leading the world's elite in playmaking and goal scoring. The other is his ball control in tight spaces: He achieved the highest historical rating for ball retention under pressure. His low center of gravity and frequent touches with his left foot allow him statistically unprecedented ball control,"
🚨 Messi’s stats during the award period:
⚔️ 48 matches
⚽ 45 goals
🅰️ 30 assists
🅿️ 75 G/A
🥇 30 MOTM
🧠 46 big chances created
🔑 148 key passes
💨 116 successful dribbles
👟 244 shots (106 on target!)
💪 234 duels won
🏆 MLS Cup Champions
🏆 MLS Eastern Conference Champions
🥇 MLS Season MVP
🥇 MLS Season Golden Boot
🥇 MLS cup playoffs MVP
🥈 2025 Leagues Cup runner up
🚨 2026 World Cup stats:
🥈 World Cup runner up
🥈 2nd Most goals (8)
🥈 2nd most assists (4)
🥈 2nd Most G/A (12)
🥇 Most Big chances created (8)
🥇 Most successful dribbles (25)
🥇 Most Chances Created (25)
🥇 Most Accurate crosses (19)
🥈 2nd most duels won (52)
🥇 Most shots taken (35)
🥈 2nd most shots on target (18)
⭐ 17 Ballon d’Or nominations.
2006 ➡️ 2026
20 YEARS. 🐐
The fact this is a promo segment where Starks is supposed to be opposite to Danielson and he never says a single word in any one of these clips
I'm crying