List of players with most Ballon d'Or nominations

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two most nominated players in Ballon d'Or history, with 18 and 17 nominations respectively. Messi received his 17th nomination for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, while Ronaldo was first nominated in 2005. Other football legends, such as Paolo Maldini, Johan Cruyff, and Franz Beckenbauer, also rank among the most nominated players, with 13 and 12 nominations. Messi has won the Ballon d'Or eight times, compared to Ronaldo's five.