The debate over the leading candidate for the 2026 Ballon d’Or needed little more excitement, especially after recent comments placed Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe at the centre of the race. However, one question directed at Diego Simeone ahead of Atletico Madrid’s meeting with Osasuna saw the Argentine coach enter the debate with a completely different choice from the names dominating the discussion.
Simeone did not attempt to make a lengthy comparison and did not hesitate when identifying the player he believes deserves the award. While attention has been focused on the Yamal-Mbappe battle, the Atletico Madrid manager’s answer brought a legendary name back into the Ballon d’Or debate just weeks before the winner is announced.
During the press conference ahead of Atletico Madrid’s match against Osasuna, Simeone was asked about Lamine Yamal’s comments after the Barcelona star said he considers himself and Kylian Mbappe the two best players in the world at the moment. Yamal also insisted that he deserves the Ballon d’Or this year based on what he achieved with Barcelona and Spain.
Simeone’s response was direct and decisive. He chose Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d’Or, saying: “Messi. Without any doubt. After the World Cup he had, at the age he is, there is no doubt: Messi.”
The Argentine coach explained that the main reason behind his choice was Messi’s performance at the 2026 World Cup, describing the player’s tournament as exceptional, particularly given that he competed at the age of 39.
Simeone believes Messi played a major role in Argentina reaching the World Cup final, which led him to place the Argentina captain above the names currently dominating the Ballon d’Or race, even though Messi was not considered one of the leading favourites before Simeone’s comments.
Simeone’s position came at a time when the Ballon d’Or race had intensified significantly after Lamine Yamal declared that he considers himself and Kylian Mbappe the best players in the world. Yamal argued that winning the World Cup with Spain and LaLiga with Barcelona gives him an advantage in the race for the award.
Mbappe, meanwhile, has impressive individual numbers, having finished as the top scorer at the World Cup, in LaLiga and in the Champions League. However, he did not win a major trophy during the season, something Yamal cited as one of the reasons why he believes he deserves the award.
As for Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was not among the main names dominating the race before Simeone’s statement. However, the Atletico Madrid manager has reopened the debate over the possibility of Messi winning the award, pointing to his influence with Argentina at the World Cup and the significance of his performance despite his age.
The Ballon d’Or race has therefore become even more intriguing. What had largely been a debate centred on Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe has now been reignited by Simeone, who made it clear that his personal choice is Messi without any hesitation, bringing the Argentine legend firmly back into the conversation.
❓قال لامين يامال إنه يعتقد أنه هو ومبابي أفضل لاعبين في العالم حاليًا، من تعتقد أنه أفضل لاعب في العالم؟ ومن يستحق الكرة الذهبية
🎙️ دييغو سيميوني:
ميسي. لا يوجد أي شك. ميسي pic.twitter.com/Ir4z9f4aSk
— FCB World (@Forca_Fcb) September 15, 2026