Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said Lionel Messi should win Ballon d’Or ahead of Harry Kane. Both Messi and Kane are part of the 30-player list for the prestigious award, which would be announced on October 26.
Harry Kane is the one of the favourites to win the award next month and he overall netted 73 goals in 61 games for Bayern Munich and England last season.
Kane scored 36 goals in 31 matches for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga in the previous season. The England international scored a total of 51 goals in as many games in the previous season.
On the other hand, Messi would be looking to win his record-extending ninth Ballon d’Or. He led Argentina to the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“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, who earned 115 caps for England, said on Apple TV. “It’s not luck because he was probably the best player in the tournament. He had an incredible year last year.
“He came into that tournament in the World Cup, and like you’ve just said, 39 years old, to affect a World Cup and every game the way he did. That’s special. 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, he should win it.
“You’ve got great players there like Harry Kane, like Kylian [Mbappé], like Jude Bellingham and other players there, but you know when you’re talking about Leo, I’m his biggest supporter.”
Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Casemiro concurred with Beckham and backed the Argentianian to win the coveted award.
“He’s still the best,” the Brazilian said on Apple TV. “He proved it at the World Cup and he’s still proving it in the MLS.”
Asked about Messi’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or, Casemiro replied: “We know it’s possible with him, and he proved it at the World Cup. But it’s not up to me to talk.
“When you play with a teammate, you always want them to win, but that’s up to the people to decide in the voting. All I wish is the best of luck.
“But I want people to see what he did at the World Cup, which is very important.”
Messi won the Ballon d’Or in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
