Ignoring the Mbappé and Yamal battle: Di Paul says the ninth Ballon d'Or belongs to Messi

Lionel Messi still knows no bounds when it comes to time, and his team-mate Rodrigo De Paul has slammed the door shut on the Ballon d'Or debate. As far as he's concerned, a ninth crown for the Flea is beyond argument.

The Inter Miami and Argentina midfielder reckons what his captain produced at the last World Cup puts him above any comparison, even at thirty-nine years of age.

Messi delivered an exceptional tournament by every measure. He was the secret behind Argentina reaching the final, scoring 8 goals and providing 4 assists in 8 matches to lead the Tango to a new dream.

That brilliance earned a fresh piece of history on Thursday. Messi lifted the 49th trophy of his legendary career after winning the Champions Cup.

Date of the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony: nominee lists and broadcasting channels Recent talk has centred on Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, but De Paul brushed all of that aside and nominated his own man.

Asked who deserves the Ballon d'Or, De Paul answered without a flicker of doubt: "For me, there is no room for debate on this matter. No one has ever achieved such a feat at the World Cup. And Leo did it at thirty-nine years of age!."

He went further: "He has competed against the strongest players across different eras, and became the best player at the World Cup. There is no room for doubt about that".