Atlético Madrid boss Diego Simeone named his preferred candidate for the Ballon d’Or award.
Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone has backed Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
The 56-year-old addressed the media ahead of an upcoming LALIGA fixture against Osasuna, weighing into the award race.
Simeone refused to trail the narrative, propping younger candidates, pointing to Messi’s performances during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“The 2026 Ballon d’Or has to be Leo Messi. Zero doubts,” Simeone stated. “With the World Cup he had at that age… NO DOUBTS,” the manager added.
Messi’s World Cup exploits
Messi earned his 17th career Ballon d’Or nomination after leading Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final at the age of 39, before falling to Spain.
The eight-time winner’s international performances are being weighed against candidates like Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé, and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane.
Yamal recently claimed he and Mbappé are the best players on the planet, while the French man insisted that he was the most deserving of the prize.
Notable nomination omissions
The 30-man shortlist for the October 26 ceremony in London features turnover from recent editions.
Atlético Madrid forwards Julián Álvarez and Ademola Lookman were both omitted from the 2026 nominations, despite featuring in previous shortlists.
Lookman earned a nomination following his heroic performance for Atalanta during the 2024 Europa League final before joining Simeone’s squad earlier in 2026.