2026 Ballon d'Or: Lautaro finishes 22nd

The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony took place on Monday, October 26th, at the London Palladium Theatre in the heart of London. Established by France Football in 1956, the prestigious award recognises the best player of the year. The 70th edition was held in the British capital in honour of English football legend Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural award in 1956.

Lautaro Martinez was among the nominees for the prestigious award, with the Nerazzurri Captain finishing in 22nd place.

LAUTARO MARTINEZ: 22ND PLACE

This marks the Inter Captain's fifth Ballon d'Or nomination, recognition of another outstanding season in which he played a leading role. Lautaro reached new milestones over the course of the campaign, further cementing his place in Nerazzurri history. El Toro became Inter's third-highest goalscorer of all time with 181 goals, lifted his third Scudetto with the Club and claimed the Serie A top scorer award for the second time, finishing with 16 goals. Wearing the captain's armband, he led Inter to a historic Double, scoring in the Coppa Italia final against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico.

Lautaro also enjoyed a memorable campaign on the international stage. He played a key role in Argentina's World Cup run in North America, scoring three goals, including the winner in the historic semi-final against England. El Toro also took his international tally to 42 goals, becoming Argentina's third-highest goalscorer of all time, behind only Gabriel Batistuta and Lionel Messi.