Messi deserves to be considered for Ballon d’Or – Beckham

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham has expressed his belief that Lionel Messi should be considered for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award. This comes just 24 hours after Messi achieved a significant milestone by scoring his 100th goal for the Major League Soccer club. In a match against Cruz Azul, Messi scored and provided the corner that led to Casemiro's goal, securing Inter Miami's first Campeones Cup title.

Speaking post-match, Beckham praised Messi's performances during the 2026 World Cup and his ability to consistently perform at a high level at the age of 39. He emphasized that there is no player at 39 who is doing what Messi is, maintaining that Messi deserves to be in the running for the prestigious individual award. Beckham, who played for England and is a co-owner of Inter Miami, also noted the importance of Messi continuing to perform at the highest level at 39.

He included Messi among the 30 players nominated for this year's Ballon d’Or, a list he shared alongside other nominees such as Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham. Messi's 100th goal for Inter Miami came in a 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul, with the Argentine scoring the opening goal and setting up the second. This achievement comes in the wake of his notable World Cup, where he contributed eight goals and four assists, helping Argentina reach the final.

He now holds the second spot on the all-time World Cup goalscorers' list with 21 goals, trailing only France's Kylian Mbappe. The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is set to take place in London on October 26.