Simeone Backs Messi To Win 2026 Ballon Dor
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has backed his compatriot Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Simeone believes the iconic number 10 deserves to lift the golden ball ahead of favourites Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe.
Messi had a stellar performance at the 2026 World Cup and was arguably the best player in the tournament.
The 39-year-old scored 8 times and provided 4 assists to help Argentina reach back-to-back finals. He came up clutch in every round for the Albiceleste, who finished second in the competition.
Many have tipped Mbappe and Yamal to lift the coveted prize, but Simeone believes Messi’s exploits at the World Cup outweigh any other individual performance in the year under review.
“Messi, without a doubt,” Simeone told reporters. “After the World Cup he had, at the age he is, no doubt at all. Messi.”
Messi announced his retirement from the national team in August, bringing an end to a 21-year reign with Argentina.
He played 207 games for Argentina, including appearances in six different World Cup editions. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain man scored 125 goals for his country.https://orange1079fm.com/breaking-news-messi-retires-from-international-football/
