Bellingham backed Messi for Ballon d'Or despite Argentine's Kopa Trophy snub

Jude Bellingham chose to publicly back Lionel Messi for the 2023 Ballon d’Or despite the Argentine ranking him a distant third in the Kopa Trophy vote that same evening — a gesture that underlines the depth of respect Bellingham holds for the eight-time winner ahead of their World Cup semi-final meeting.

At the Paris ceremony in October 2023, Messi collected a record eighth Ballon d’Or on the back of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar. On the same night, Bellingham claimed the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the world’s best player under 21 and decided by 32 former Ballon d’Or winners. Each voter submitted a top three, awarding five points for first place, three for second and one for third.

Messi cast his vote for Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala first, Barcelona’s Pedri second and Bellingham third — a ranking that stood out given how many contemporaries placed the then-Real Madrid teenager at the top of their lists. It made little difference to the outcome: Bellingham swept the award with 90 points.

In his acceptance speech, Bellingham kept his focus on collective ambition. “It is a great list of players to have won this award before,” he said. “It is an honour to be in front of some of the best players in the world here and some of the best to have ever played the game. To win this trophy means a lot, but for me, the important thing is team trophies and the important thing for me is to kick on and help Real Madrid and England win trophies for many years.”

When asked separately for his own Ballon d’Or preference, Bellingham did not return the slight. He endorsed Messi without hesitation, pointing to the Argentine’s World Cup year as justification enough.

The mutual scrutiny now shifts to the pitch. England and Argentina are set to renew one of football’s most charged rivalries in the World Cup semi-finals, with a place in the final against Spain the prize. Messi leads the tournament’s scoring charts alongside the eliminated Kylian Mbappé, having contributed eight goals as Argentina dispatched the likes of Egypt and Cape Verde on their run to the last four.

Bellingham has been equally decisive for England. His six goals from open play already constitute a new England record at a single World Cup, and his performance in the quarter-final against Norway was widely credited with carrying his side through a difficult contest.

The 2023 Ballon d’Or exchange now reads as a footnote to a rivalry that is about to be settled on far higher stakes.