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Attention turns to the Ballon d’Or after the end of the 2026 World Cup, with the race still wide open.
The Ballon d’Or race remains blown wide open following Spain’s World Cup triumph, leaving voters with a major dilemma.
Heading into the tournament final, Lionel Messi had surged back to the top of the narrative after single-handedly dragging Argentina through the knockout stages. Winning back-to-back World Cups almost certainly would have locked up a record ninth award for him.
However, Argentina’s heartbreak in the final reshuffled the deck. With no standout candidate straddling both domestic and international success, players like Harry Kane, Rodri, and Lamine Yamal now lead an incredibly tight race heading into the autumn vote.
Lionel Messi offered hope in the Ballon d’Or race
An article from Ballon d’Or themselves has rated Lionel Messi’s chances of winning it, despite being beaten in the World Cup final.
Lifting the World Cup trophy gives any candidate a head start, but history shows it is far from an absolute prerequisite to win the Ballon d’Or.
They state: ‘Yes, winning the World Cup helps, but it does not guarantee a Ballon d’Or. To win it, you need to have been the best player of the season, not only of the World Cup.’
Because voting accounts for an entire season’s body of work, evaluating domestic form, European impact, and individual output, a dominant year with your club can outweigh falling short on the international stage. Legends like Lionel Messi in 2010, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2014, and Luka Modrić in 2018 all claimed the Golden Ball in tournament years without lifting the World Cup.
Lionel Messi’s stats for club and country
During the 2026 World Cup in North America, Lionel Messi racked up 8 goals and 4 assists in 8 matches for Argentina, leading the entire tournament in key passes (21), completed dribbles (25), and total chances created (25) as he led his country to the final.
At club level with Inter Miami during the current season, he has registered 12 goals and 7 assists across 14 MLS matches, along with 1 goal in 2 Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures.
Combined across all competitions for club and country in this evaluation window, Messi compiled 21 goals and 11 assists (32 total goal contributions) in roughly 24 official appearances.
