Simeone backs Lionel Messi for 2026 Ballon d'Or over Mbappe and Yamal
On September 16, 2026, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone said ahead of his club’s La Liga match against Osasuna that Lionel Messi deserves the 2026 Ballon d’Or, ranking the Argentina captain ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal. Simeone pointed to Messi’s displays at the 2026 World Cup as the basis for his view.
The conversation around the award intensified after Lamine Yamal publicly backed himself and Kylian Mbappe as the two best players in the world, but Simeone offered a different assessment when asked about the Ballon d’Or race. He cited Messi’s role for Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina during the tournament, noting that Argentina finished runners-up after losing to Spain. The World Cup was expected to mark the end of Messi’s international career.
Simeone framed his pick around Messi’s contribution to Argentina’s run to the World Cup final and elaborated on the player’s form in his remarks. “Messi, without a doubt,” Simeone told reporters. “After the World Cup he had, at the age he is, no doubt at all. Messi.”
Messi announced his retirement from Argentina duty on August 31, saying he felt it was time for a new generation to have its opportunity, but he will make one more appearance in the national shirt. He has been included in the squad for three upcoming friendlies and the AFA has confirmed his official farewell will be against Benin on October 6 at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. Argentina will face Bolivia in Córdoba on September 30 and Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on October 3; Messi is set to feature only in the October 6 fixture, which will serve as his farewell.
The Ballon d’Or field includes several other prominent names: Yamal has staked his claim after Spain’s World Cup triumph, Kylian Mbappe remains part of the conversation following another prolific campaign with Real Madrid, and Ousmane Dembele is aiming to retain the prize after winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are also cited among the leading contenders, while Messi is seeking a ninth Ballon d’Or after winning his eighth in 2023.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London, when the winner will be announced.