Zidane Backs Inter Miami Star Messi for 2026 Ballon d’Or
Lionel Messi has been named on the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist after a stunning season for Inter Miami and Argentina, with Zinedine Zidane insisting the 39-year-old deserves the award.
Key takeaways
- Messi recorded 45 goals and 30 assists across 49 matches during the 2025-26 campaign.
- His Inter Miami displays helped deliver the MLS title.
- The Argentina captain scored eight times on the road to the 2026 World Cup final.
- Zidane said he would back Messi for the prize “100 times”.
- The Ballon d’Or winner will be announced in London on October 26.
Zidane makes emphatic Messi case
Zidane believes Messi’s ability to remain at football’s highest level at 39 has not received the recognition it merits. The former Real Madrid manager offered an uncompromising defence of the forward’s credentials for the game’s leading individual award.
“I would vote for Messi 100 times,” Zidane said. “I think people really don’t understand how incredible it is to still be among the best players in the world at 39 years old.”
Messi’s numbers came with major silverware and decisive international contributions. He led Inter Miami to the MLS crown before scoring eight goals as Argentina reached the World Cup final, extending his influence for club and country deep into another campaign.
Zidane also believes there should be no remaining argument over Messi’s standing in the game. He said he would not be shocked if the Argentina star wins again, adding that anyone still questioning the greatest-of-all-time debate does not belong in “football society”.
What happens next
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London. It will be the 70th staging of the award and the first time the gala has been held outside Paris.
Messi will now wait to learn whether his MLS triumph, World Cup-final run and remarkable attacking return are enough to bring him back onto the Ballon d’Or podium.
