"That has angered me" - Pundit claims Lionel Messi doesn't deserve to win 2026 Ballon d'Or after nomination

Former striker Ally McCoist has claimed Lionel Messi doesn't deserve to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or as the Argentine icon gets nominated for the award. Ad Lionel Messi has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award a record eight times in his career. Now, at the age of 39, he has been included in a 30-man shortlist to win the award in 2026. Submit Thanks for the submission! The Argentine superstar single-handedly dragged his national team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, which the Albiceleste lost to Spain. He starred with eight goals and four assists throughout the tournament. He has also been in great form with his club side, Inter Miami, as he is the joint Golden Boot holder in the MLS with FC Dallas' Petar Musa. Ad Trending When asked about Lionel Messi potentially winning the Ballon d'Or later this year, Ally McCoist shut down the suggestions with a bold claim. Speaking on talkSPORT's Breakfast show, he said: "That has angered me. There's no way on this earth. He (Messi) doesn't deserve it. It's for the player of the year; it's the Ballon d'Or, which he wasn't. He has been, but he wasn't this year." Ad When asked to name who should win the award if not for Messi, he backed English and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane as his favorite: "Who are his serious competitors? I get Mbappe's goalscoring at Real Madrid was fantastic, and his goalscoring at the World Cup was great. "But Harry Kane has been absolutely out of this world. And I don't buy the argument that you cannot win the award unless you win the Champions League or you have a great World Cup." Ad Harry Kane, Lionel Messi and the rest of the football world will learn the winner on October 26 in London, where the Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled to take place. Lionel Messi sets new Ballon d'Or nomination record with latest inclusion in shortlist Lionel Messi becomes the first player ever to span 20 years between his first and last Ballon d'Or nominations. According to Daily Sports, the Argentine great was first nominated for the award in 2006 during his stint at Barcelona. Now, following his nomination in 2026, he becomes the only player to have a 20-year gap between his first and last inclusion. Despite this, Messi is still behind Cristiano Ronaldo in total all-time nominations. The Portuguese star holds the record with 18 nominations, with Messi in second place at 17 following his 2026 inclusion. × Feedback Why did you not like this content? Clickbait / Misleading Factually Incorrect Hateful or Abusive Baseless Opinion Too Many Ads Other Cancel Submit Was this article helpful? Thank You for feedback