Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham has backed Lionel Messi to be considered for the 2026 Ballon d’Or after the Argentine continued his impressive campaign with another influential performance for the Major League Soccer club.
Beckham’s comments came less than 24 hours after Messi reached another major milestone at Inter Miami, scoring his 100th goal for the club during a 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup final.
Messi opened the scoring with a header before later providing the corner that Casemiro converted to seal Inter Miami’s first Campeones Cup triumph.
Speaking about Messi’s Ballon d’Or prospects, Beckham said the Argentine should be part of the conversation for football’s most prestigious individual award.
The former England captain and current Inter Miami co-owner has watched Messi’s impact closely since the forward moved to the club in 2023. Beckham believes the Argentine’s performances and achievements over the assessment period warrant serious consideration from those voting for the award.
Messi is among the 30 players shortlisted for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, meaning his candidacy has already been formally recognised by France Football.
The 39-year-old enters this year’s race after another productive season with both Inter Miami and Argentina. He helped Inter Miami win the 2025 MLS Cup and was named MLS Cup MVP after producing six goals and nine assists during the playoffs.
He also won the MLS Golden Boot after scoring 29 goals and providing 19 assists in 28 regular-season appearances during Miami’s MLS Cup-winning campaign.
Messi’s performances for Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup have also formed an important part of his Ballon d’Or case.
The veteran forward scored eight goals and registered four assists in eight matches during Argentina’s World Cup campaign. His 12 direct goal contributions accounted for a significant portion of Argentina’s 19 goals at the tournament.
Messi also became one of the central figures of Argentina’s run to the World Cup final before the team finished as runners-up.
His World Cup numbers placed him just behind Kylian Mbappé in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot, with the French forward finishing with 10 goals and four assists.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist contains several high-profile names, including Messi, Mbappé, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland and Rodri.
Messi is attempting to win the award for a record ninth time. He currently holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or victories, with his most recent success coming in 2023 after leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title.
The 2026 award ceremony is scheduled for October 26 at the London Palladium Theatre.
Beckham’s comments also come at a significant moment for Messi personally.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward recently reached 100 goals for Inter Miami in only his 115th appearance for the club. His milestone goal came in unusual fashion as he headed Luis Suárez’s cross into the net during the Campeones Cup final.
Messi then played another important role in the second goal, delivering the corner that allowed Casemiro to head Inter Miami into a two-goal lead.
The performance helped Inter Miami claim their first Campeones Cup title after defeating Cruz Azul, the reigning Liga MX champions.
For Beckham, Messi’s latest achievements underline why the Argentine should remain part of the Ballon d’Or discussion despite playing outside Europe’s traditional major leagues.
Messi’s nomination is also notable because he is the only active MLS player included in the 30-man shortlist for this year’s award.
The Ballon d’Or is decided through voting by an international panel of football journalists, with the award assessing individual performances during the relevant football season.
While Beckham has publicly backed Messi’s candidacy, the final decision will be determined by the Ballon d’Or voting process.
For now, Messi’s record at Inter Miami continues to grow. His latest goal not only helped secure another trophy for the club but also took his personal tally to 100 goals, adding another landmark to a career that already includes eight Ballon d’Or awards.
With the 2026 ceremony approaching, Messi’s performances for Inter Miami and Argentina will remain part of the discussion surrounding this year’s individual prize.
