Ballon d'Or organisers explain Lionel Messi shorlist snub, defend Cristiano Ronaldo inclusion

Lionel Messi was excluded from the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist because of «new criteria» for the awarding of football’s most prestigious individual prize, according to event organisers France Football. Seven-time winner Messi and his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar weren’t included when the list of candidates was released on Friday, but Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo earned a place.

Ad The award is handed out annually, but for the first time this year the winner will be selected based on their form over the previous season, rather than the calendar year. Ballon d'OrBallon d'Or 2022 shortlists with Benzema and Mead in the hunt for awards16 HOURS AGO Messi, who won the Ballon d’Or last year, departed Barcelona last summer to join PSG and won the Ligue 1 title in his first season in Paris.

But the 35-year-old scored just six league goals in 26 league games during a campaign hit by injury problems, resulting in the snub from France Football. “Inevitably, Lionel Messi, with his 15 appearances in a row since 2006, his seven Ballon d'Or victories, his title holder status, weighs very heavily when it comes to the final choice,” France Football’s deputy editor-in-chief Emmanuel Bojan explained.