Andrey Arshavin Explains Why Lionel Messi Deserves to Win 2026 Ballon d’Or
- Former Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin named Lionel Messi as his pick for the 2026 Ballon d'Or ahead of the October ceremony
- Arshavin cited Messi's World Cup display and Inter Miami's first league title as key reasons for his choice
- The Ballon d'Or ceremony is set to take place at the London Palladium Centre on October 26, marking the first time it will be held outside Paris
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Former Arsenal and Russia international Andrey Arshavin has backed Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, arguing the Argentine's performances over the past year make him the most deserving candidate despite the absence of a clear frontrunner.
Arshavin, who played for Arsenal between 2009 and 2013, shared his thoughts as the football world turns its attention to the upcoming award.
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The Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 at the London Palladium Centre in London — the first time in the award's history that it will be held outside Paris.
Arshavin makes case for Messi
The 42-year-old pointed to Messi's role at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the foundation of his argument. Though Argentina failed to lift the trophy, the Inter Miami forward produced a series of outstanding individual displays throughout the tournament.
It seems to me that there is no outright favourite for the Ballon d'Or this year. But I would give it to Messi. He had a great World Cup, dragging Argentina almost single-handedly," Arshavin told Sports.
He acknowledged that Argentina's early exit would count against Messi in the eyes of many voters, but maintained the quality of his displays should not be overlooked.
“Unfortunately, he couldn't drag the team all the way to the title, but in any case, he played brilliantly both for the national team and for Inter Miami,” he added.
Beyond the World Cup, Arshavin also pointed to Messi's contribution at club level. The former Barcelona man helped Inter Miami win their first league championship, a landmark moment in the club's history that Arshavin believes strengthens the case for awarding him football's most prestigious individual honour.
"After all, he also led the club to their first league championship. It would be a fitting final chord since there is no obvious contender," Arshavin said.
Messi is widely expected to feature in the top five of the final Ballon d'Or rankings, though his chances of winning would have been significantly stronger had Argentina gone all the way at the World Cup.
With no dominant favourite emerging from this cycle, Arshavin's view reflects a broader debate among football observers about who deserves to take home the award this year.
Updated Ballon d'Or rankings
Legit.ng previously reported the updated Ballon d'Or rankings three weeks before the award ceremony as fans eagerly wait for the winner.
Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal currently leads the bookmakers’ prediction with more than 40% chance each to win the award for the first time.
Source: Legit.ng
