Diego Simeone backs Lionel Messi as a favourite for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, arguing that Messi’s performances—highlighted by his World Cup showing—make him the leading candidate.
Both outlets report Simeone’s assessment in which he selects the Argentina forward ahead of two other widely discussed contenders: Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. While the articles differ mainly in wording, they agree on the core points of Simeone’s ranking and his willingness to dismiss Mbappé and Yamal as top choices for the award. One outlet frames Simeone’s support around Messi’s international impact, while the other emphasizes that Simeone is picking Messi over Mbappé and Yamal. Neither report provides further detail such as exact criteria, voting rules, or additional candidates beyond those named by Simeone.
