Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best player for a record sixth time.
It is the 32-year-old Argentine’s first Ballon d’Or since 2015 and comes after he scored 54 times for club and country in 2018-19, in which Barca won La Liga.
Virgil van Dijk was second – one of four Liverpool players in the top seven, including Sadio Mane in fourth.
Juventus and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the award five times, was third in the voting.
England defender Lucy Bronze was beaten to the women’s award, finishing second behind Megan Rapinoe, who was Golden Ball winner as USA claimed a second successive World Cup in 2019.
Liverpool keeper Alisson won the inaugural Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper, ahead of Barcelona’s Germany international Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Brazilian compatriot Ederson of Manchester City.
Defender Matthijs de Ligt took the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best under-21 player and selected by former Ballon d’Or winners.
The 20-year-old, who joined Juventus this summer after helping Ajax reach the semi-finals of last season’s Champions League, beat Borussia Dortmund and England forward Jadon Sancho to the award.
Messi’s win means the Ballon d’Or award has been won by a player from Spain’s La Liga in each of the last 11 years, including last year’s winner Luka Modric, who broke the 10-year Messi-Ronaldo monopoly on the prize.
“Today is my sixth Ballon d’Or. It’s a completely different moment, lived with my family and my children,” Messi said.
“As my wife said, you must never stop dreaming but always work to improve and continue to enjoy. I am very lucky, I am blessed.
“I hope to continue for a long time. I realise that I am very lucky, even if, one day, retirement will ring. It will be difficult.
“But I still have beautiful years ahead of me. Time goes very quickly, so I want to enjoy football and my family.”
The Argentine forward recently notched up 700 appearances for Barca, during which time he has scored a phenomenal 614 goals while winning 34 trophies, including 10 La Liga and four Champions League titles, and a host of other records and awards.
| Messi’s major trophy haul | |
|---|---|
| Trophy | Years |
| La Liga (10) | 2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15,2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19 |
| Copa del Rey (6) | 2008-09, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 |
| Champions League (4) | 2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15 |
| Ballon d’Or (6) | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 |
His superb displays for Barcelona enabled him to hold off the challenge of Champions League winner Van Dijk, who was aiming to become the first defender to win the award since Italy’s Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.
“It was an amazing year, but there’s a couple of players like that who are a bit unnatural,” Van Dijk said of Messi and Ronaldo. “So you need to respect greatness as well.
“I was close, but there was just someone a little bit better.
“I’m very proud of what I achieved last year with Liverpool and Holland, and hopefully we can do that again this year. But that will be tough with those guys around here still.
“I never thought that I would be up for a Ballon d’Or until I was actually nominated. It shows a lot about how my career has been. My career has been different from the winner here, I came late, but I never gave up on my dreams.
“I had to work hard every step of the way, so to be here makes me very proud. And I want to work hard and be here again next year.”
The full list
1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina)
2. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool and Netherlands)
3. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus and Portugal)
4. Sadio Mane (Liverpool and Senegal)
5. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)
6. Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain and France)
7. Alisson (Liverpool and Brazil)
8. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland)
9. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City and Portugal)
10. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City and Algeria)
11. Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona and Netherlands)
12. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City and England)
13. Eden Hazard (Real Madrid and Belgium)
14. Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City and Belgium)
15. Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus and Netherlands)
16. Sergio Aguero (Manchester City and Argentina)
17. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool and Brazil)
18. Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona and France)
19. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool and England)
20= Dusan Tadic (Ajax and Serbia)
20= Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal and Gabon)
22. Son Heung-min (Tottenham and South Korea)
23. Hugo Lloris (Tottenham and France)
24= Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli and Senegal)
24= Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona and Germany)
28= Donny van de Beek (Ajax and Netherlands)
28= Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
28= Marquinhos (Paris St-Germain and Brazil)
What is the Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or has been awarded by France Football every year since 1956, with England’s Stanley Matthews the first winner.
It was only for European players until 1995, when it expanded to become open for any player at a European club. From 2007 it opened up to the rest of the world.
The 30-man list of nominees is compiled by the editorial staff of the French magazine, with the winner voted for by journalists from around the world, with one representative per nation.
From 2010 to 2015 it merged with Fifa’s awards, but they split and the world governing body set up its own awards again in 2016.
| Ballon d’Or: Ronaldo & Messi dominate since 2008 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Runner-up | Third place | |
| 2007 | Kaka | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Fernando Torres |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Xavi |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi | Andres Iniesta | Xavi |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Xavi |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Andres Iniesta |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Franck Ribery |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Manuel Neuer |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Neymar |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Antoine Griezmann |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Neymar |
| 2018 | Luka Modric | Cristiano Ronaldo | Antoine Griezmann |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi | Virgil van Dijk | Cristiano Ronaldo |
The renewed agreement reinforces the longstanding partnership between the artist and the label. It positions Chadreek for the next phase of his career with enhanced support across music production, distribution, marketing, and international expansion.
Known for his smooth vocal delivery and consistent output, Chadreek has steadily cultivated a dedicated following through standout records including Ori Mi (featuring Seyi Vibez), Better Dayz, Awure, and his earlier project No Bad Vibe. The renewed deal is expected to accelerate his momentum as he prepares new music and broadens his presence across Africa and global markets.
A source close to the camp confirmed that both parties are fully aligned on a clear vision for the artist’s next chapter, with a strong emphasis on high-quality releases and strategic growth.
This renewal marks another significant milestone in Chadreek’s journey as he continues to establish his place within the Afrobeats landscape.
About Chadreek
Chadreek is a Nigerian singer and songwriter signed to SauceBoi Music. He is recognised for his distinctive voice and a growing catalogue of Afrobeats records that blend melody, emotion, and street energy.
About SauceBoi Music
SauceBoi Music is a UK-based record label committed to developing and promoting talent across the Afrobeats and broader African music scenes.
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶
Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.
The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.
And the big question now is:
Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂
Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.
One X user joked:
“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”
Another simply said:
“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”
But then came “Lembe.” 🔥
The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.
Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.
And it didn’t stop there.
‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED
On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.
One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.
From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.
Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:
Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥
So, let’s settle this once and for all:
Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?
Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇
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