Lionel Messi has emerged as a likely candidate to clinch a record-extending ninth Ballon d'Or award after an awe-inspiring start to the 2026 World Cup.
There were doubts as to whether the undisputed great would have the same impact for Argentina as he did in the 2022 major tournament -- where he captained his nation to a seismic third World Cup honour with seven goals and three assists throughout the tournament.
His start to the 2026 World Cup campaign -- as a 38-year-old playing in the MLS -- has been nothing short of remarkable however, kick-starting his tournament with a hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 win over Algeria.
The serial record-breaker added another individual accolade to a long list when opening the scoring against Austria, becoming the highest goalscorer in World Cup history with a superb first-time finish in the 38th minute.
In true Messi style, he extended his record when doubling Argentina's lead in the 95th minute -- ensuring qualification for the World Cup Round of 32.
Messi was priced at 50/1 to win the Ballon d'Or before the World Cup, but his odds shortened to 16/1 after scoring a hat-trick against Algeria.
After extending his 2026 World Cup goals tally to five against Austria, the Argentine is now available at 13/2 to win a ninth Ballon d'Or -- joint third in the betting alongside 2025 winner Ousmane Dembele.
bet365's Steve Freeth said: "He might be plying his trade away from the European top table these days, but the way he's playing right now, coupled with the fact he could carry Argentina to back-to-back World Cups, the Ballon d'Or narrative will revolve around Lionel Messi."
No player has won more Ballon d'Or awards than Messi, winning an eighth honour in 2023 after leading Argentina in their victorious 2022 World Cup campaign.
There was an overarching sense amongst footballing fans that his eighth Ballon d'Or success would prove his last after leaving Paris Saint-Germain to join Inter Miami in 2023, with the MLS suffering from a lack of exposure in Europe.
It'd be naive to ignore his start to the league campaign with Inter Miami however, scoring 12 goals and registering seven assists in 12 top-flight games, and his recent performances for Argentina have put him back in the picture to win a record-extending ninth Ballon d'Or
Lionel Messi Ballon d'Or Odds
(Odds will display when market available)
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.
