Petr Cech believes Lionel Messi still has a real shot at winning a record-extending ninth Ballon d'Or this year. The 2026 Ballon d’Or conversation continues to heat up ahead of October’s ceremony, and one of the game’s most respected former goalkeepers has thrown his support behind Lionel Messi as the sport’s biggest individual honor edges closer. Petr Cech, speaking in an interview with Kalshi Sports, was asked directly who he expects to win the award. “The winner of the Ballon d’Or? That’s a good question, but I think Messi has a good chance,” the former Chelsea goalkeeper said. Messi’s case rests on a remarkable year, at 39 years old, that included leading Inter Miami to the MLS title, registering 45 goals and 30 assists across 49 matches, and driving Argentina back to the World Cup final with eight goals and four assists in the tournament. A win would give him a record-extending ninth Ballon d’Or, well clear of any other player in the award’s history. Still, Messi faces stiff competition from a shortlist led by Harry Kane, who scored 73 goals for club and country during the review period, along with Kylian Mbappe, who topped the scoring charts in LaLiga, the Champions League and the World Cup, and Lamine Yamal, who won a domestic treble with Barcelona and lifted the World Cup with Spain. 🚨 Petr Čech: "Who will win the Ballon d'Or? That's a good question. I think Messi has a good chance of winning it." ✨✨ pic.twitter.com/VD3UwPLEu8— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) September 9, 2026 Current betting odds still list Messi as an outside contender, but the ceremony, scheduled for October 26 in London, remains wide open with journalists yet to cast their votes. Messi’s Ballon d’Or nomination history Messi’s 2026 nod marks his 17th career Ballon d’Or nomination, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo’s record 18, in a streak that began back in 2007 and has continued nearly every year since. Of those 17 nominations, he has converted eight into wins, first in 2009 and most recently in 2023, giving him more Ballon d’Or trophies than any other footballer ever. No other player has come close to matching Messi’s level of sustained excellence in the eyes of voters, with only Ronaldo’s five Ballon d’Or wins even approaching that mark. A ninth trophy in October would only widen Messi’s lead over Ronaldo and the rest of the award’s history in terms of total victories, even as Ronaldo continues to hold the record for nominations.
The 39-year-old remains central to the club’s ambitions during a crucial part of the MLS season, making every sign of physical discomfort worth watching closely. Lionel Messi has sparked fresh concern around his fitness after a moment during Inter Miami’s latest training session caught the attention of supporters. The 39-year-old remains central to the club’s ambitions during a crucial part of the MLS season, making every sign of physical discomfort worth watching closely. Footage from the session has quickly circulated among Inter Miami supporters, with fans immediately connecting the moment to Messi’s previous muscle problems. There is currently no official confirmation that the Argentine has suffered a new injury, however, leaving the situation open to interpretation. The video, filmed during Inter Miami’s training session this Friday, shows Messi taking part in light work before appearing uncomfortable at one point. He bends over and appears to check or hold his leg while moving more cautiously for a short period. Messi subsequently continues with the session and is seen carrying on with light drills involving the ball. That detail is important because the footage alone does not establish that Messi has suffered an injury or that he will miss an upcoming match. 🚨WATCH: Lionel Messi was seen holding his leg during training today, as it appears he may be feeling some discomfort again. 🥹🎥 via Ramao Sports IG pic.twitter.com/0QQkvM5kHk— Inter Miami News Hub (@Intermiamicfhub) September 11, 2026 The clip was shared by independent Inter Miami accounts on X (formerly Twitter), with footage originally attributed to Ramao Sports. The images have nevertheless been enough to trigger concern among supporters familiar with Messi’s recent fitness issues. Why Messi’s history makes the footage worrying The reaction is understandable because Messi has experienced several lower-body muscle problems during the past year. Earlier in 2026, a left hamstring muscle overload or fatigue issue forced him off during Miami’s MLS match against Philadelphia Union in May, while he had also dealt with related discomfort earlier in the season. At 39, Messi’s workload is naturally being monitored more closely than it was earlier in his career. His demanding schedule has included club football with Inter Miami as well as another major international campaign with Argentina, placing additional emphasis on managing his physical condition. Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF warms up That history means even relatively minor signs of discomfort can generate significant attention. Still, players can occasionally stretch, check a muscle or move cautiously during training without the incident developing into an actual injury. For now, the biggest takeaway is that Inter Miami has not announced a new injury involving Messi. There has also been no confirmed medical update indicating that the forward is facing another hamstring problem or any other specific issue. The circulating footage therefore needs to be treated carefully. While it does show the Argentine appearing to experience a moment of discomfort, there is no evidence from the video alone that he has sustained an injury that will affect his availability. Why Inter Miami cannot afford Messi setback The timing would be particularly significant for Inter Miami, which is entering an important stage of the MLS campaign. Messi remains the club’s most influential attacking player, and his availability can have a major effect on the team’s ability to compete across a demanding schedule. Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF. Supporters have also raised broader questions about player workload, particularly with MLS teams facing congested periods and limited opportunities to rotate their biggest stars. Managing Messi’s minutes could become increasingly important as Inter Miami approaches the decisive part of the season. The club will therefore have little reason to take unnecessary risks with its captain. If Messi is feeli
Chelsea target Lamine Camara (Picture: AFP) Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara has lifted the lid for the first time on his failed move to Chelsea on transfer deadline day. Having sanctioned Enzo Fernandez’s £120million move to Manchester City, Chelsea identified Camara as their replacement for the Argentina international. After failing with two offers earlier on deadline day, Chelsea finally reached an agreement with Monaco worth €55million (£47.1m) in the closing stages of the transfer window. Monaco had also agreed a £40m deal with Everton to sell Folarin Balogun but the Premier League club raised concerns during the striker’s medical which threatened to scupper the move. Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro's football newsletter Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Sign up now for free. Everton eventually decided to push on with their deal to sign Balogun, which then prompted Monaco to pull out of their agreement with Chelsea over their deal for Camara. Balogun then opted not to join Everton due to their concerns during his medical, but with no time left in the window, Camara’s move to Chelsea was unable to be revived. Now speaking for the first time since the dramatic turn of events, Camara insisted he has tried to ‘turn the page’ and let his performances on the pitch do the talking. Camara saw a deadline day move to Chelsea collapse (Picture: Getty) ‘It’s true that it was a hectic moment, but as you know, that is part of being a professional footballer. I tried to be professional and not think too much about it,’ he told reporters. ‘Did I want to leave? That makes you think that I wasn’t living in the present with the team. ‘There was the possibility [of me joining Chelsea]. At the last minute, it didn’t happen […] if another chance [to leave for a big club] doesn’t come up, it is because I threw in the towel or didn’t work hard enough. Chelsea failed to land a replacement for Enzo Fernandez (Picture: Getty) ‘Football moves quickly and maybe other chances will come. For now, I am focused on what I can bring and on the season at Monaco.’ Separately, Camara revealed he had confided in former Chelsea midfielder Denis Zakaria following the failed transfer move. ‘He is always there, always in his leadership role as a big brother,’ the Senegalese midfielder added. ‘He spoke to me a lot the day after about what happened with the transfer. They helped me a lot to focus on the match versus PSG. Denis has played at top clubs; he says that these things happen.’ Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso (Picture: Getty) Speaking shortly after the window closed, Camara’s agent, former Premier League forward Diomansy Kamara, struck a less diplomatic tone about the failed move. ‘We have to get out of this logic where the African player can sometimes give the feeling that he is just a commodity: you buy it, you set its price, you negotiate its future and, too often, your will seems to go to the background,’ Kamara wrote on Instagram. ‘Our African players deserve respect. The respect of their work. The respect of their career. Respecting their ambitions. The respect of their voices. ‘A transfer shouldn’t just be a matter of two clubs and numbers. Behind every contract, there’s a man, a career, dreams and life choices. ‘The fact that clubs can sometimes have the final word is a reality of professional football. But one question remains: what about the career and the will of the player? ‘The player must be able to be heard and respected in the decisions that determine his future. Let’s never forget what’s important: behind every success, it’s the players who write history first.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
⚽️ News and updates before the weekend’s football action⚽️ Premier League: 10 things to watch out for | Mail JohnMatthias Jaissle revealed that summer signing Matias Fernandez-Pardo is edging closer to starting for Newcastle.The 21-year-old forward arrived on Tyneside from Lille on deadline day and has featured as a substitute in Newcastle’s last two matches. Speaking ahead of Monday’s clash with Leeds, Jaissle said: “Yeah, he’s getting closer. I said that we need to be smart with his load management. Now he’s getting more and more minutes. Continue reading...
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