Messi reportedly decided to hand Ballon d’Or to winner despite being nominated himself, fans call embarrassing scenario Yamal
Lionel Messi was reportedly up for the 2026 Ballon d’Or despite being among the 30 nominees himself. Lionel Messi could reportedly present the trophy at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London, although he remains a nominee for the award himself. The same report suggests that his family might also join him at the event. While not a single detail has been confirmed, the possibility of the eight-time winner taking on the role of presenter while still in contention for a ninth Ballon d’Or makes for an interesting scenario.
How the Messi Ballon d’Or rumor began
The speculation originated with Spanish freelance football reporter Juan Jesus, who claimed on X that Messi would attend the ceremony on October 26 and personally present the trophy to this year’s winner. The claim subsequently spread across football aggregator accounts, fan sites and online sports news, turning the unverified report into pre-ceremony talk.Separate reports also suggested that Messi would attend the ceremony with his family. Their presence would certainly make sense if the Argentine decides to attend, especially with the chance to celebrate a record-extending ninth Ballon d’Or alongside his family, but neither Messi nor the organizers have confirmed those plans.The ceremony will take place at the London Palladium on 26 October to mark the 70th year of football’s most prestigious individual award. The event will be held in London for the first time and organizers are honoring Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural Ballon d’Or in 1956.Neither France Football nor UEFA have officially confirmed Messi’s reported role and his involvement remains unconfirmed.
Messi remains a candidate for his ninth Ballon d’Or
Messi’s reported role as presenter is particularly interesting as he is also among the 30 nominees for this year’s award. The 39-year-old Inter Miami forward returns to the shortlist after missing out on the previous two editions and remains in contention for an unprecedented ninth Ballon d’Or.Messi’s 2026 campaign gives him a vital argument as he helped Argentina reach the World Cup final with eight goals and four assists in eight games. He also continued his involvement with Inter Miami, scoring 23 goals and 11 assists during the 2026 regular season.
October 10, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Leo Messi (10) celebrates after scoring against DC United during the second half at Nu Stadium. Mandatory credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
The Argentinian last won the Ballon d’Or in 2023, after making a decisive contribution to Argentina’s triumph at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Another win would extend his record as the most successful recipient of the award, which could pose a vexing scheduling problem if he is also invited to present the trophy.At the ceremony, Messi cannot present the award if he wins, so the organizers would need another presenter for that moment. Saying that he was chosen to present the trophy does not mean that he has lost the race, especially when his candidacy remains active and the result has not been announced.
Lamine Yamal theories and memes have already taken off
Much of the online reaction focused on Lamine Yamal, with some fans imagining Messi handing the teenager his first Ballon d’Or as a symbolic passing of the torch. Their connection goes back to the famous 2007 UNICEF calendar photograph of a 20-year-old Messi bathing five-month-old Yamal, so the prospect of the Argentine handing him football’s biggest individual award seems almost scripted.
Soccer star Lionel Messi, 20, helps bathe Lamine Yamal, who was just six months old at the time, during a photo shoot in September 2007 in the dressing room of the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Some supporters subsequently joked that the rumor had already revealed the winner, suggesting the organizers had created an obvious publicity stunt around the pair’s remarkable pairing.Fans have also turned the rumor into a meme, comparing Messi presenting the award to Barack Obama presenting himself with a medal.At least the family point of view seems entirely plausible. With Messi now retired from international football, the Ballon d’Or could be another opportunity for those close to him to watch him step into the limelight, especially if he ends up adding a ninth title to his collection.For now, Messi remains in the nomination, the stated role remains unconfirmed, and the winner will not be known until the ceremony. Until then, fans can enjoy imagining the possibilities, although the funnest scenario would require the organizers to find someone else to hand Messi his ninth Ballon d’Or.