Former Arsenal attacking midfielder Andrey Arshavin has backed Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or award.
Messi led Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final, scoring eight goals. The 39-year-old also helped Inter Miami to win their maiden Major League Soccer title and Campeones Cup triumph.
According to Arshavin, the Argentine's 2026 feat makes him the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or.
Speaking to Sports.ru , the former Russia captain stated: "It seems to me that there is no outright favourite for the Ballon d'Or this year. But I would give it to Messi. He had a great World Cup, dragging Argentina almost single-handedly."
Arshavin argued that the veteran's consistent excellence on two different fronts fully deserves the game's top award, even though La Albiceleste eventually lost to champions Spain.
Explaining the reasoning behind his selection, the 45-year-old added: "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."
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