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Argentinian publication Ole argued that Lionel Messi deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, stating that Harry Kane’s triumph would not erase England’s World Cup semi-final defeat. In an editorial, the outlet suggested that 2026 was the year the eight-time winner most deserved the accolade following his performances at the summer tournament, where he guided Argentina to the final before losing to Spain.
World Cup Clash and Voting Results
Argentina advanced to the final by defeating England 2-1 in a contentious semi-final clash featuring two late goals from Lionel Scaloni’s squad. Messi skipped the ceremony in London to attend the youth tournament bearing his name, the Messi Cup, and finished fifth in the voting behind Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and Rodri.
At age 39, Messi returned to the Ballon d’Or shortlist for the first time in three years after delivering standout performances for Inter Miami, which included securing their first MLS Cup in December.
Editorial Perspective on Harry Kane
Ole acknowledged Kane’s achievements by stating: “Kane didn’t win the World Cup but achieved personal recognition. Among the merits of the 33-year-old striker we must recognise the incredible figure of 73 goals and 81 goal involvements [in 2026] between Bayern Munich and England.”
The publication added that Kane’s World Cup performance allowed him to surpass Gary Lineker as England’s leading scorer in tournament history with 14 goals, building upon his Golden Boot victory at the 2018 tournament in Russia. However, the outlet noted that “the stain of having been defeated by Messi and Argentina, in the semi-finals in 2026, is one that will never be removed.”
Messi’s Continued Impact
The editorial concluded: “With as many reasons as the other stars to have been chosen winner of this Ballon d’Or, the scoring record of a player with an exemplary profile was enough to give him the edge in one of the most even editions of recent times. But for us, the best is and always will be Leo Messi. The World Cup, once again, gave us evidence why.”
Although Messi recently retired from international duty, he maintains a prominent role in Major League Soccer, leading the league with 25 goals this season. He started on the bench during a weekend loss to the New York Red Bulls following a trans-Atlantic trip from Spain, where he was awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, but is anticipated to rejoin the starting XI when Inter Miami play Cincinnati.
