How the Ballon d’Or Is Decided
The Ballon d’Or is given to the best football player in the world each year. The award is based on three main things. First, individual performances and how decisive a player is for their team. Second, team success and trophies won. Third, class and fair play. When you look at these three areas, Lionel Messi has a strong case for the 2026 award.
Messi’s Individual Numbers
Messi’s individual output in the 2025-26 season was among the best in world football. He scored 45 goals and gave 30 assists in 49 matches. That is a remarkable level of production. Compare that to Kylian Mbappé, who played 60 matches to score 58 goals and provide 13 assists. Messi also completed 117 successful dribbles and had an average match rating of 8.55. Mbappé’s average rating was 7.75. These numbers show that Messi was not just scoring goals but also creating chances and controlling games.
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Trophies and Team Success
Messi led Inter Miami to their first MLS Cup title. He also helped the team win the Campeones Cup, scoring his 100th goal for the club along the way. On the international stage, he captained Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final. He scored 8 goals in the tournament and raised his all-time World Cup goal tally to 21, the highest ever recorded. Even though Argentina lost the final to Spain, Messi’s performance throughout the tournament was outstanding.
Class and Fair Play
Messi’s conduct on and off the pitch has never been questioned. He has played at the highest level for many years and continues to lead both his club and country with professionalism. His longevity and leadership embody the third criterion of the Ballon d’Or: class and fair play.
What Football People Are Saying
Some of the most respected figures in football have publicly backed Messi for the 2026 award. David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami, said that when you see Messi do things like he did and have the World Cup he had, it is not luck that he is being considered again. Beckham added that at 39 years old, to affect the World Cup in every game the way he did is special. He said there is no one at 39 doing this at that level and that Messi deserves to win it.
Diego Simeone was even more direct. He said the 2026 Ballon d’Or has to be Leo Messi, with zero doubts. Casemiro, Messi’s former rival at Real Madrid and now his teammate at Inter Miami, said they just have to enjoy him and be grateful for what he does on the field. He added that having Messi as a teammate makes everything easier and that he hopes Messi takes the award.
The Competition Is Strong
Messi faces strong competition. Harry Kane is the bookmakers’ favourite after scoring 72 goals in 62 matches for Bayern Munich and England, winning the European Golden Shoe. Kylian Mbappé finished as the top scorer in LaLiga, the Champions League, and the World Cup, with 42 goals in 44 matches for Real Madrid. Lamine Yamal was named LaLiga Player of the Season after leading Barcelona to the title with 16 goals and 12 assists.
However, none of these players combined domestic success with a World Cup final appearance at 39 years old. Messi’s ability to deliver on the biggest stage, while playing in a league that some European voters dismiss, is exactly why his candidacy is so compelling.
The Verdict
Lionel Messi case for the 2026 Ballon d’Or rests on a simple truth. No one else in world football produced his combination of volume, efficiency, and decisive impact on the biggest stages. His 31 goals and 16 assists for Inter Miami, his 8 goals at the World Cup, and his 100th goal for his club are not the statistics of a player winding down. They are the statistics of a player still operating at the very top of the game.
At 39, competing against players in their physical primes, Messi has forced his way back into the conversation through sheer, undeniable production. Whether he wins a ninth Ballon d’Or or not, his inclusion on the shortlist is not a legacy nod. It is a merit-based recognition of a season that defies logic and expectation.