Lionel Messi's heroics against Egypt in the dramatic World Cup comeback have earned praise from Ballon d'Or organisers and lifted him into the top three favourites.

Lionel Messi might struggle to win the normal Ballon d’Or at the ceremony in London in October – even if Argentina secure a second successive World Cup this summer. The South American did not even finish in the top 30 last time out as his former Barcelona teammate Ousmane Dembele was named the greatest player on the planet,

From Ronaldo and Messi’s era to Rodri’s breakthrough, the last 10 years of Ballon d’Or winners chart a story of consistency, shocking upsets, and changing football dynamics.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could win another Ballon d'Or after recent updates, with both players competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as favourites.

France captain, Kylian Mbappe, currently has the biggest chance to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or award. Mbappe is the top scorer at the ongoing World Cup, as

With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly presumably disappearing into the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d'Or hasn't felt so open for the best part of 20 years, with countless players now beginning each campaign believing they have a chance of claiming the most prestigious individual prize football has to offer.

Several of soccer's superstars have enhanced their Ballon d'Or case during the first stage of the World Cup. We run through the contenders

Real Madrid's Croatia midfielder Luka Modric was named winner of the 2018 Ballon d'Or on Monday, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo's and Lionel Messi's

Jamie Carragher believes Harry Kane deserves Ballon d’Or recognition but says Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are more likely to win the 2026 award.

When presented with the choice of winning another Ballon d’Or or defending Argentina’s World Cup title, Lionel Messi didn’t hesitate: “World Cup.” The rightly revered icon has the rare luxury of boasting both individual and collective success on ...

Charting the history and remarkable numbers behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's rivalry, from April 23, 2008 until

The Lionel Messi World Cup obits were starting to be written. It’s a good bet that some were finalized. Egypt led Argentina 2-0 in a World Cup quarterfinal Tuesday afternoon, in the 79th minute. A new World Cup champion would be crowned.