Former Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin has publicly backed Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. The Russian icon believes the 39-year-old Argentine is the most fitting candidate in a year without an obvious favourite.
Arshavin, who played as an attacking midfielder for the Gunners, made his case this week. He pointed to Messi's eight goals for Argentina as they reached the 2026 World Cup final, and his 21 goals and 11 assists in leading Inter Miami to their first MLS title and Campeones Cup.
"It seems to me that there is no outright favourite for the Ballon d'Or this year," Arshavin said. "But I would give it to Messi. He had a great World Cup, dragging Argentina almost single-handedly."
He acknowledged that Argentina fell short of the world title but praised Messi's all-round brilliance. "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. 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."
The former Russia captain, now 45, dismissed other leading names. He does not view Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, France's Kylian Mbappe, or England's Harry Kane as outright favourites for the prize. David Beckham, the Inter Miami co-owner and England hero, has also reportedly picked Messi ahead of Kane.
The award ceremony will be held at the London Palladium Theatre on Monday, October 26. It marks a historic departure, taking place outside Paris for the first time to honour the award's 70th anniversary. Messi is on the 30-man shortlist alongside Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Jude Bellingham.
Messi is gearing up for his farewell game for Argentina, a friendly against Benin on October 6. For Arsenal, the focus remains on the Premier League. The Gunners sit second in the standings with 12 points from five games, three points behind leaders Manchester City. Their recent form includes four wins and one draw, with the team scoring an average of 2.4 goals per game. Their next challenge is a home fixtures against fifth-placed Leeds on October 10, a key match in their title pursuit.
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