Following Inter Miami’s 2-0 Campeones Cup victory on Wednesday, former England captain and current club co-owner David Beckham believes Lionel Messi “should win” the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

Scoring the opener and providing the corner for Casemiro’s second-half goal in a 2-0 final victory against Mexican side Cruz Azul, the 39-year-old Argentine superstar helped the Herons lift the Campeones Cup — an annual match between the winners of MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX. The goal also marked Messi’s 100th for the club since his arrival in 2023.

Having been nominated on the 30-player shortlist for the awards’ 70th anniversary, Beckham said of his club captain: “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.

“He deserves to be considered for the Ballon d’Or. In my opinion, he should win it.”

The ceremony for the France Football-founded award will be held in London on October 26, but do Beckham’s claims hold enough weight for Messi to claim his ninth Ballon d’Or?

Lionel Messi’s Record-Breaking 2026 World Cup

This year has been an emotional rollercoaster for Lionel Messi, yet one in which he once again demonstrated on the world stage that he remains capable of performing among the world’s best, while breaking several records in the process - a huge factor in his Ballon d’Or nomination.

During Messi and Argentina’s run all the way to the 2026 World Cup final and eventual defeat to Spain, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star extended several individual records throughout the tournament:

  • Most World Cup appearances ever – extending his own record from 26 to 34 appearances on his route to the final, featuring in every match.
  • All-time World Cup top scorer – his eight goals took his overall total to 21, moving him ahead of Germany’s Miroslav Klose.
  • All-time World Cup assists – extending his record to 12 assists, ahead of Diego Maradona’s eight.
  • Six World Cups – becoming the first player ever to feature in six separate men’s World Cup tournaments.
  • Most consecutive World Cup matches with a goal – scoring in nine consecutive matches across the 2022 and 2026 tournaments.
  • Most World Cup match wins – extending his previous record of 16 to 23 victories with Argentina.

However, the gutting 1-0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup final denied Messi and Argentina the opportunity to claim back-to-back World Cup triumphs, and it would ultimately prove to be his final competitive appearance for Argentina.

Shortly afterwards, Messi’s father and long-time agent Jorge Messi died in August. Messi had written his retirement statement before his father’s death and said the loss made him more convinced about sharing it publicly.

Having initially written his retirement statement days after the World Cup final, Messi made the decision public on August 31, saying he had “nothing left to give” to the national team.

Despite announcing his retirement, Messi will have one final opportunity to wear the famous La Albiceleste shirt, with the 39-year-old named in the squad for a farewell friendly against Benin on October 6 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

How Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or Case Compares With the Other Nominees

Even with the unbelievable performances of the Rosario-born legend at such an age, many have questioned whether the MLS is up to the standard of the world’s elite leagues and whether his displays can still be compared to those flourishing in Europe.

Nevertheless, Messi joins a stacked list of 30 candidates, with other prominent nominees including Spain’s Lamine Yamal and Rodri, France’s Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé, and England’s Harry Kane.

Messi’s 100 goals in just 115 appearances for Inter Miami, including 23 this calendar year, alongside the 2025 MLS Cup and 2026 Campeones Cup, provide context for Beckham’s argument.

While MLS operates outside Europe's major domestic leagues, maintaining such numbers so consistently at 39 is remarkable, even if his club co-owner naturally has some favouritism.

Following the Campeones Cup victory, teammate and former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro said: “We have to enjoy this because we don’t know how long we’ll have it.

“What he has done and continues to do for football is incredible. He remains the best. He proved it at the World Cup and continues to prove it in MLS.”

With Messi now 39, the 2026 season represents one of the later stages of his playing career. Whether or not he ultimately wins the award, his performances have certainly given him a case to extend his record of eight Ballon d’Or wins.