Beckham Praises 39-Year-Old Messi, Backs Him for Ballon d’Or
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham has backed Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or after the Argentine reached 100 goals for the Major League Soccer club. Messi achieved the milestone on Wednesday during Miami’s 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup, scoring a rare header in the 24th minute before providing the corner that led to Casemiro’s second-half goal. The victory secured Miami’s first Campeones Cup title and made Messi the first player to reach 100 goals for the club. Speaking after the match, Beckham said Messi’s performances at the 2026 World Cup and his continued ability to operate at an elite level at the age of 39 make him deserving of the individual honour. Beckham, a former England captain and Miami co-owner, said Messi should be considered alongside the other nominees and, in his view, should win the award.
Messi is among the 30 players shortlisted for this year’s Ballon d’Or, an award he has previously won eight times. At the 2026 World Cup, he scored eight goals and provided four assists as Argentina reached the final before losing to Spain, while his latest assist took his overall World Cup tally to 12, including 10 in knockout-stage matches. Messi is also second on the tournament’s all-time goalscoring list with 21 goals, behind France forward Kylian Mbappe, who has 22. Beckham said Messi’s performances at his age were particularly significant, noting that few players at 39 continue to perform at such a level. Other nominees mentioned by Beckham include Mbappe, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London, with Messi’s latest Inter Miami milestone adding to the campaign surrounding his nomination.
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