Zidane and Henry debate Ballon d'Or favorites

Football legends Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry have shared differing opinions regarding the favorite for the Ballon d'Or.

Zinedine Zidane expressed his support for Lionel Messi, highlighting the Argentine's remarkable performance at age 39. Zidane noted Messi's impressive statistics with Inter Miami, including 45 goals and 30 assists in the 2025/26 season, and his performance in reaching the World Cup final. Zidane suggested that Messi's continued excellence at his age makes him a definitive choice for the award.

In contrast, Thierry Henry named Kylian Mbappé as his preferred candidate. Henry argued that individual performance should be the primary criterion for the award rather than team trophies. He pointed to Mbappé's status as a top scorer in the Champions League, La Liga, and the World Cup as evidence of his individual dominance, noting that previous Ballon d'Or winners have also won the award without major team trophies in their respective seasons.