Man Utd Legend Makes Ballon d’Or Case for Messi After Winning His Record 49th Career Trophy
- Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham publicly backed Lionel Messi for the 2026 Ballon d'Or following a cup final victory
- Messi scored and set up a goal as Inter Miami defeated Cruz Azul to claim the Campeones Cup, his 49th career trophy
- The eight-time 2022 FIFA World Cup winner is among 30 nominees for the 2026 award at the age of 39
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David Beckham has thrown his weight behind Lionel Messi to claim the 2026 Ballon d'Or, saying no player at 39 is performing at the same level as the Argentine forward.
Beckham, who co-owns Inter Miami, made the remarks on Apple TV after Messi played a decisive role in his club's Campeones Cup final victory over Cruz Azul.
The Argentine scored and provided an assist for Casemiro as Miami secured the trophy, Messi's 49th in his professional career.
Source: Getty Images
"I think when you see him do things like this tonight, when you see him have the World Cup that he's had, it's not luck that he's being considered for the Ballon d'Or again," Beckham said.
"There's no one at 39 that's doing that and doing it at that level. So he deserves to be considered for the Ballon d'Or. He, in my opinion, should win it."
Messi's impact at Inter Miami
When Messi joined the Florida-based club in 2023 from Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami were struggling near the bottom of the standings.
In three years since his arrival, the club have gone on to win five trophies, a turnaround that Beckham and many observers attribute largely to his influence.
Messi is one of 30 players nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, the award he has won a record eight times.
While MLS Soccer noted that the Campeones Cup result and his recent club form do not factor directly into Ballon d'Or voting criteria, the performance has fuelled discussion about his candidacy on social media.
Beckham's argument, like many others, centres on the combination of Messi's age and the consistency of his performances.
For a player to be scoring and creating in competitive finals at 39 remains exceptional by any standard, and the Inter Miami co-owner made clear he views Messi as the deserving winner of the award ahead of the announcement.
Whether the voting panel agrees remains to be seen, but the backing from one of football's most recognisable figures adds further weight to Messi's case as the 2026 Ballon d'Or race continues.
Diego Simeone backs Messi for Ballon d'Or
Legit.ng previously reported that Diego Simeone backed Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or after a brilliant 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The Atletico Madrid manager and former Argentina international claimed that his compatriot's performance at 39 is beyond remarkable.
Source: Legit.ng
