France legend Zinedine Zidane has said he would vote for Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, claiming he would back him "100 times." Messi was named among the 30-man shortlist of nominees released by France Football on Tuesday. According to the report, the Argentine earned his nomination after a season in which he led Inter Miami to the MLS title, scoring 45 goals and providing 30 assists.

Zinedine Zidane has named former Argentina captain Lionel Messi as the greatest player in football history, according to the Daily Post. Asked about the GOAT debate and whether Messi is the greatest footballer of all time, the Real Madrid legend reportedly said, as quoted by Marca, "If anyone still has doubts" about Messi's status. The comments add another prominent voice to the long-running discussion over football's greatest ever player.

Real Madrid and France striker Kylian Mbappe took part in a rapid-fire question session posted on the official X account of the Ballon d’Or, according to Daily Post. He was asked to choose among football icons including Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Delima and other former winners, working through a bracket of legends to identify his greatest Ballon d’Or winner. The excerpt does not reveal his final selection.

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has named Lionel Messi as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, overlooking other leading contenders including Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. According to the report, Cech backed the eight-time winner to claim football's most prestigious individual prize once again, despite strong challenges from the England captain, the French forward and the young Barcelona star in the race for the award.

Former Rangers striker Ally McCoist has said that Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi does not merit winning the 2026 Ballon d'Or, following the Argentine's nomination for the prestigious award. Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record eight times during his career and, now aged 39, is among the nominees for the 2026 edition. McCoist's remarks were reported by the Daily Post, which did not include further details on the former Scotland international's reasoning.

Ten Paris Saint-Germain players have been included on a 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, a historic record for a single club, according to award organizers who released the list on Tuesday. Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal are among the nominees, while Cristiano Ronaldo was left out. The award is given annually to the player voted the best in the world for the year, with the shortlist determined ahead of the final voting process.