Lionel Messi has reached another historic milestone after finishing fifth in the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings. At 39, the Inter Miami superstar is now the third-oldest player ever to reach the Top 10, behind two football legends.
Messi Ranks Third in Ballon d’Or History Behind Two Football Legends
Lionel Messi has achieved another incredible milestone at the 2026 Ballon d’Or, but two football legends still remain ahead of him in a special historical ranking.
The Inter Miami superstar finished fifth at the awards ceremony in London on October 26, despite being 39 years old.
However, his impressive position also helped him enter the history books for another reason.
Messi has become the third-oldest player ever to finish inside the Ballon d’Or Top 10.
Messi ranks third in an incredible historical record
According to World Soccer Talk, Messi was 39 years and four months old when he secured fifth place in the 2026 rankings.
Only two legendary players were older when they achieved a Top 10 finish.
- 1. Stanley Matthews: 41 years and 10 months old in 1956.
- 2. Gianluigi Buffon: 39 years and 10 months old in 2017.
- 3. Lionel Messi: 39 years and four months old in 2026.
Matthews remains the oldest Ballon d’Or winner in history after receiving the first award in 1956.
Meanwhile, legendary Italian goalkeeper Buffon reached the Top 10 in 2017, when he was nearly 40 years old.
Now Messi has joined these two football icons in an extraordinary ranking.
Messi finishes ahead of Europe’s biggest stars
Messi’s achievement becomes even more impressive when looking at the final 2026 Ballon d’Or results.
The Argentine captain finished fifth, behind Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal and Rodri.
However, Messi finished ahead of several major European stars, including:
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (6th)
- Ousmane Dembele (7th)
- Erling Haaland (8th)
- Michael Olise (9th)
Interestingly, Dembele was the winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Despite playing in Major League Soccer, Messi continues to compete with some of the world’s best footballers.
Messi continues his legendary Ballon d’Or journey
The 2026 ceremony marked Messi’s 17th appearance in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
He now stands just one nomination behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who holds the record with 18 appearances.
However, Messi remains the most successful player in Ballon d’Or history with eight titles, compared with Ronaldo’s five.
His latest achievement also comes after an impressive World Cup campaign, where he helped Argentina reach the 2026 final.
At 39 years old, Messi has once again proved that he can compete at the highest level, while adding another remarkable record to his legendary career.
