Former England captain David Beckham has expressed his support for Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Beckham, who is now a co-owner of Inter Miami, made his comments after Messi reached 100 goals for the MLS club in their 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup. Messi scored the opener before playing a role in the second goal. Beckham believes Messi's performances make him a strong contender for the award.
Messi, 39, is among the 30 nominees for this year's men's Ballon d'Or after another outstanding period with Inter Miami and Argentina. The winner will be announced in London on October 26, 2026. Beckham thinks Messi's performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup further strengthen his case for another Ballon d'Or. Messi played all eight of Argentina's matches at the World Cup, scoring eight goals and providing four assists.
Argentina eventually lost the final to Spain, while Spain midfielder Rodri collected the tournament's Golden Ball. Despite competition from England stars Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Declan Rice, Beckham maintains that Messi's overall influence makes him his choice for the award. Beckham said, "He had an incredible year last year. He came into that tournament in the World Cup, and like you've just said, 39 years old, to affect a World Cup and every game the way he did. That's special."
Messi enters the contest as the record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, having previously claimed the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023. A victory this year would take him to an unprecedented ninth title. His case is also backed by his club achievements, including winning the 2025 MLS Cup with Inter Miami and claiming the MLS Golden Boot after scoring 29 goals.
The 2026 shortlist includes three England players in Kane, Bellingham, and Rice. Kane enjoyed a prolific campaign with Bayern Munich and England, while Bellingham scored seven times at the World Cup. Rice helped Arsenal win the Premier League and was also a key member of England's World Cup squad. Other contenders include France forward Kylian Mbappé, who finished as the World Cup's leading scorer with 10 goals.
Beckham believes Messi's influence and achievements make him the deserving winner of the Ballon d'Or. He said, "You've got great players there like Harry Kane, like Kylian [Mbappe], like Jude Bellingham and other players there, but you know when you're talking about Leo, I'm his biggest supporter." Messi recently became the first player to reach 100 goals for Inter Miami across all competitions in 115 appearances.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place in London on October 26, 2026, with Messi, Kane, Bellingham, Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé, and other leading names among the 30 nominees. If Messi wins, it will be his ninth Ballon d'Or title, solidifying his position as one of the greatest players in football history.
Key points
- David Beckham supports Lionel Messi for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
- Messi is a record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
- The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place in London on October 26, 2026.
