Ballon d’Or 2026: ‘There’s no outright favourite, give it to Messi’ – Arshavin tells organisers

Former Arsenal player Andrey Arshavin has said that Lionel Messi merits the 2026 Ballon d’Or award. 
The Russian contended that no clear favourite exists for this prestigious individual accolade and maintained that the Argentina captain should receive the honour based on his performances during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Arshavin’s position diverges from the prevailing discourse established by Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe regarding the 2026 Ballon d’Or competition. 
Barcelona’s Yamal has publicly declared that he deserves the award over Mbappe due to the trophies he secured during the previous season.
Mbappe, conversely, has referenced his goal-scoring record as justification for ...