Lionel Messi, who won the Ballon d’Or a record seven times, was not included in the 30-man list published by France Football on August 13, 2022.
This was the first time that Messi had been omitted from the list since 2005.
Individual performance is the first of the three main criteria to be considered for the Ballon d’Or award. Therefore, Messi’s omission, while unusual to see given his track record, is not a surprise. He had a disappointing first season with Paris Saint-Germain, especially in terms of goals, after moving from Barcelona.
In terms of team performance, it was not a good season for Paris Saint-Germain. While it managed to win the Ligue 1 title, it fell short in the knockout stages of the Champions League and also the Coupe de France.
This season, Messi appears to be back in his element scoring eight goals and racking up as many assists in 14 games for PSG in all competitions.
They have also done well in international football so far, scoring a brace each against Honduras and Jamaica.
Messi’s last Ballon d’Or came in 2021 when he won it for a record seventh time.