India Today ·
Lionel Messi deserves Ballon d’Or 2026: Simeone picks Argentine over Mbappe, Yamal
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has backed Lionel Messi for the 2026 Ballon d'Or after Argentina's World Cup campaign. Messi remains among the leading contenders despite announcing his international retirement after the tournament.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has backed Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, putting the Argentina captain ahead of the other leading names in contention. Simeone believes Messi’s performance at the 2026 World Cup gives him a strong case for the award.
Simeone was speaking ahead of Atletico Madrid’s upcoming La Liga clash against Osasuna when he was asked about the Ballon d’Or race. The discussion had intensified after Lamine Yamal backed himself and Kylian Mbappe as the two best players in the world, but Simeone had a different choice.
