Lionel Messi received surprising support from six countries in the 2026 Ballon d’Or vote. A Brazilian journalist even ranked the Argentina legend ahead of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé.
Six Countries Back Messi for 2026 Ballon d’Or as Brazil Makes Surprising Choice
Lionel Messi has received surprising support from six countries in the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting, despite finishing fifth in the final rankings.
France Football recently released the detailed voting results following Harry Kane’s victory at the ceremony in London on October 26.
The results revealed that six journalists from different countries placed Messi first on their voting lists.
Most surprisingly, one of those votes came from Brazil, Argentina’s biggest football rival.
Six countries chose Lionel Messi as their number one
According to the voting results, Messi received first-place votes from journalists representing the following countries:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- China
- Panama
- Belarus
- United Arab Emirates
Each first-place vote was worth 15 points, meaning these six journalists contributed 90 points to Messi’s final total.
However, the votes came from individual journalists representing their countries, not from national football federations or governments.
Brazilian journalist explains surprising Messi vote
One of the biggest surprises came from Brazilian journalist Cleber Machado, who represents Brazil in the Ballon d’Or voting.
Machado ranked Messi first, ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Rodri, while eventual winner Harry Kane was placed fourth.
Speaking to Argentine newspaper Olé, Machado explained why he supported Messi despite the historic rivalry between Brazil and Argentina.
He said national rivalries should not influence the voting process and praised Messi’s performance at the 2026 World Cup.
Machado believes Messi remains an exceptional player who can decide important matches, even at the age of 39.
The Brazilian journalist also praised Messi’s football intelligence and his ability to help Argentina reach another World Cup final.
Messi finishes fifth as Harry Kane wins Ballon d’Or
Despite receiving six first-place votes, Messi finished fifth overall with 612 points.
Harry Kane won the award with 1,055 points, just 28 ahead of Kylian Mbappé, who finished second with 1,027.
Lamine Yamal claimed third place with 881 points, while Rodri finished fourth with 726.
Messi missed out on his ninth Ballon d’Or, but the six first-place votes showed that he continues to receive strong recognition from football journalists around the world.
For many fans, the biggest surprise was that a journalist from Brazil chose the Argentine superstar as the best player in the world.
Even without winning the trophy, Messi’s influence on international football remains clear at the age of 39.
