Ballon d'Or Hints Suggest Lionel Messi Could Win Again After 2026 World Cup

The Ballon d'Or organizers appear to be preparing for a potential Lionel Messi victory in the upcoming award ceremony, despite it being only July and the prize distribution still about six months away. A recent article published on the official Ballon d'Or website and social media channels, timed intriguingly, discusses the possibility of a player not affiliated with a European club winning the prestigious football award. Historically, the Ballon d'Or has almost exclusively been awarded to players active in European clubs.

This year’s competition seems unusually open, with no clear favorite standing out. The outcome of the 2026 World Cup could be decisive: if Argentina wins, Messi, who also secured the MLS title with Inter Miami, would be a leading contender. Conversely, a Spanish victory could elevate players like Ansu Fati, who won La Liga with Barcelona, or Rodri, a former Ballon d'Or winner two years ago, as top candidates.

The article highlights that Messi himself is the only precedent for winning the Ballon d'Or while playing outside Europe, having claimed the 2023 award as a member of Inter Miami. However, that award recognized his achievements with both the Argentina national team at the World Cup and Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the French league title. The piece suggests the 2026 World Cup final might tip the scales in this highly competitive and unprecedented race for football’s top individual honor.