Lionel Messi Becomes Favourite to Win 2026 Ballon d’Or After Leading Argentina to World Cup Final

• Lionel Messi jumped to the top of the 2026 Ballon d'Or standings after Argentina beat England 2-1 to reach the World Cup final
• Messi contributed an assist each for Enzo Fernandez's equaliser and Lautaro Martinez's winner against the Three Lions
• Polymarket Sports gave Messi a 31.7% probability of claiming a record ninth Ballon d'Or, the highest among all contenders

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Lionel Messi has emerged as the leading candidate for the 2026 Ballon d'Or with prediction markets now assigning him the highest odds among this year's contenders.

This comes after the 39-year-old led La Albiceleste to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after inspiring their win over the Three Lions of England.

According to Polymarket Sports, Messi currently holds a 31.7% probability of claiming a record-extending ninth Ballon d'Or, a figure that separates him from the rest of the field following his country's dramatic semi-final victory.

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As noted by FIFA, Argentina came from behind to defeat England 2-1 in their World Cup semi-final, booking a place in their second consecutive final. Messi was central to both goals: he set up Enzo Fernandez for the equaliser before turning provider again for Lautaro Martinez, whose strike completed the turnaround against the Three Lions.

The result extended Argentina's dominance on the world stage and reinforced Messi's relevance at 39, with his ability to shape decisive matches once again under the spotlight.

Messi's Ballon d'Or history

Messi last won the Ballon d'Or in 2023, an honour earned on the back of Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar. That victory ended a 36-year wait for the South American nation and earned Messi widespread recognition as the greatest player of all time.

Should Argentina go on to win the 2026 World Cup on North American soil in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, a ninth Ballon d'Or would be widely viewed as a formality, cementing what many football observers already regard as the most decorated individual career in the sport's history.

Ballon d'Or releases statement on Messi

Legit.ng previously reported that Ballon d'Or released a statement explaining whether winning the World Cup only guarantees winning the Golden Ball.

Lionel Messi’s hat-trick in Argentina’s World Cup opener against Algeria necessitated the statement as fans believed that he could win again.

Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.