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.
Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo have agreed a deal to sign Wolves starlet Pedro Lima on loan until December but have no option to buy. The post ‘Agreed’ – Club Signing Wolves Star On Loan Deal appeared first on Inside Futbol | Latest Football News, Transfer Rumours & Articles.
The brief incident quickly went viral, offering a lighter moment during a match that otherwise ended badly for Ronaldo and his team. Cristiano Ronaldo produced one of the most entertaining moments of Al-Nassr’s frustrating defeat to Al-Ittihad last weekend, when the Portugal captain found himself involved in an unexpected exchange with former teammate Danilo Pereira. The brief incident quickly went viral, offering a lighter moment during a match that otherwise ended badly for Ronaldo and his team. The two Portugal internationals have shared countless moments together over the years, including their country’s historic Euro 2016 triumph. Their familiarity was obvious as Ronaldo approached Danilo during the match, with cameras catching the pair exchanging smiles after an unusual moment involving the Al-Ittihad defender. The incident happened during Al-Nassr’s 2-1 defeat to Al-Ittihad on September 5, a result that ended the defending champions’ perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season. While the match was fiercely contested, Ronaldo briefly turned his attention away from the action when he noticed Danilo holding a tactical note. Danilo had received instructions from Al-Ittihad’s coaching staff and was looking at the piece of paper when Ronaldo moved behind him. The Al-Nassr captain leaned over in an apparent attempt to see what was written, creating an amusing scene that was quickly picked up by television cameras. 🚨 Cristiano Ronaldo reading Danilo Pereira's coaching instructions during the game. 😂pic.twitter.com/7JUdEKOsgs— 𝐓𝐌 𝐅Ú𝐓𝐁𝐎𝐋 (@TMfutbal) September 5, 2026 Danilo eventually noticed Ronaldo standing behind him, and rather than reacting angrily, the former teammates appeared to laugh about the situation. The moment was soon shared widely online, with Al-Ittihad even joining in with the banter. “Cheating and still losing!”, Al-Ittihad took to X (formerly Twitter) to write. Cheating and still losing! 🔥🤷🏻♂️#Alittihad_Alnassr pic.twitter.com/58nU2o0EhG— Al-Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) September 5, 2026 Danilo finally reveals what Ronaldo asked Almost a week after the match, Danilo finally explained what happened between the two players. Speaking after Al-Ittihad’s victory over Al-Fayha, the defender confirmed that Ronaldo had indeed managed to see the tactical instructions on the paper. But the funniest detail was what Ronaldo actually said to him. “Yes, it’s true… Cristiano asked me, ‘Are you going to play like this?’, he told reporters, via Al-Riyadiah. Danilo explained that he had not initially realized Ronaldo was standing behind him. "What happened between you and Cristiano?Everyone's talking about that moment… Do you think he read what was written on that piece of paper?"🇵🇹🗣 Danilo Pereira (Al Ittihad defender):"Yes, it's true… Cristiano asked me, 'Are you going to play like this?'I didn't know…— The Nassr Tribune™️ (@AlNassrTribune) September 11, 2026 Once he heard the Portuguese star speaking, however, the situation became clear: “I didn’t know he was behind me, and then I heard him talking behind my back, asking me, ‘Are you going to play like this?’ My answer was, ‘Yes, yes… we’ll play like this.’” Ronaldo’s competitive instincts were on display The exchange was funny, but it also offered a glimpse of Ronaldo’s mentality. Even during a heated league match, the 41-year-old was looking for any piece of information that could give Al-Nassr an advantage, although this particular attempt clearly became more entertaining than useful. Danilo later played down the incident, insisting that there were no hard feelings between the pair. When asked whether Ronaldo had actually read what was on the paper, he confirmed that he had, before making clear that it contained tactical information rather than anything particularly sensitive. “He was behind me and he did indeed read what was written on the paper, but there is no problem, it was only about tactics.” Cristiano Ronaldo and Danilo Pereira of Portugal The relaxed reaction ref
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