Lautaro Martínez finishes 22nd in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings

Inter captain Lautaro Martínez placed 22nd in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings. The Argentine striker was the only Serie A player on the list of 30 nominees for the 70th edition of the award. The ceremony will be held for the first time at the London Palladium, and the winner will be known this evening.

This nomination marks the fifth time Lautaro has made the Ballon d'Or list in his career. With this number, he became the third most nominated player in Inter history. Sandro Mazzola and Giacinto Facchetti rank ahead of him. His best ranking came in 2024, when he finished seventh. Last year he finished 20th.

The striker earned his place on the list through a standout season. Lautaro led Inter to Scudetto and Coppa Italia titles, and with 17 goals in 30 matches he was Serie A's top scorer. He also scored three goals for Argentina at the World Cup. His winning goal against England in the semi-final was one of the most important moments of the tournament.

Inter's season was not successful in every respect. The team was knocked out of the Champions League by Bodø/Glimt. Lautaro has been unable to play due to a lower back muscle injury he suffered earlier this month. He is expected to return to action next month.