UAE Backs Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the Prestigious 2026 Ballon d’Or Award.
The UAE was among six nations whose representatives selected Lionel Messi as their top choice for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, even though the Argentina captain finished fifth in the overall voting.
The breakdown published by France Football revealed that journalists from the UAE, Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, China and Panama ranked the Inter Miami forward first on their ballots. Each first-place vote was worth 15 points, contributing to Messi’s final score of 612.
Messi’s displays during the 2025-26 MLS season and the 2026 FIFA World Cup appear to have earned him this backing. The 39-year-old scored 29 goals and recorded 15 assists in 34 appearances for Inter Miami during the 2025-26 campaign.
He also produced an impressive performance at the World Cup with Argentina, scoring eight goals and providing four assists as the defending champions advanced to the final.
Despite these achievements, Messi was unable to secure another individual accolade. He finished behind Harry Kane, who claimed the award with 1,055 points. Kylian Mbappe came second with 1,027 points, followed by Lamine Yamal with 881 and Rodri with 726.
Kane’s triumph ended Messi’s hopes of adding to his record eight Ballon d’Or victories. The Argentine last lifted the trophy in 2023, following his World Cup success in Qatar.
While he missed out on the top honour, the UAE’s vote put Messi ahead of all other contenders on its ballot, reflecting the enduring admiration for the Argentine football icon.
