David Beckham has backed Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or after the Argentine superstar reached 100 goals for Inter Miami.
The former England captain, who is now a co-owner of the MLS club, believes Messi’s continued excellence at 39, combined with his performances at the 2026 World Cup, makes him deserving of another individual crown.
Speaking after Inter Miami’s 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup, Beckham was quick to praise his star player and highlighted the extraordinary level Messi continues to maintain at an age when most footballers are approaching the end of their careers.
“When you see him do things like this, when you see him have the World Cup that he’s had, there is no one at 39 that’s doing that, and doing it at that level,” Beckham said.
“He deserves to be considered for the Ballon d’Or. In my opinion, he should win it.”
Messi’s 2026 campaign has placed him among the 30 nominees for the prestigious award, although he faces competition from several of the leading players in world football, including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.
Official 30-man shortlist for the FIFA Ballon D’or 2026
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London.
Messi Reaches 100 Inter Miami Goals
Beckham’s comments came shortly after Messi reached another significant milestone with Inter Miami.
The 39-year-old scored his 100th goal for the club in Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul to secure Inter Miami’s first Campeones Cup triumph.
Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute, heading in a cross from Luis Suarez before later providing the corner from which Casemiro scored the second goal in the 81st minute.
The milestone came in Messi’s 115th appearance for Inter Miami since joining the club in 2023.
He has since helped the team win the Leagues Cup, Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup and now the Campeones Cup.
World Cup Form Strengthens His Case
Messi also enjoyed a remarkable World Cup campaign with Argentina earlier this year, scoring eight goals and providing four assists as the South American nation reached the final, where they lost to Spain.
He now has 21 World Cup goals, placing him second on the tournament’s all-time scoring list behind France’s Kylian Mbappe, while his 12 World Cup assists represent another record.
Messi has already won the Ballon d’Or eight times, the most in the history of the award. A ninth would extend his record further, but the final decision will be determined by the voting process rather than Beckham’s endorsement.
For now, however, one of the most influential figures in Inter Miami’s ownership group has made his preference clear: Beckham believes Messi deserves another Ballon d’Or.
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