2026 Ballon d'Or: Mbappe, Yamal snubbed by African legend in favour of surprise pick

Cameroon legend Patrick Mboma has named Lionel Messi as his preferred winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or, ranking the Argentine ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.

The former African Footballer of the Year also left African stars Achraf Hakimi and Sadio Mané outside his personal top five.

Mboma, who helped Cameroon win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002, revealed his selections in an interview published by Africafoot on Wednesday, October 21.

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker believes Messi remains the greatest player in football history and deserves to extend his record with a ninth Ballon d'Or.

"For me, Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer in history," Mboma said. He pointed to Messi's performances for Inter Miami and his influence during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Argentina captain helped his country reach the final despite falling short of another world title.

Mboma also acknowledged Messi's attacking contributions in Major League Soccer, while recognising the difference in quality between the American competition and Europe's leading leagues.

His selection follows Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone's backing of Messi for the award, adding another voice to the debate over the Argentine's candidacy.

Mboma ranked Mbappé second, despite the Real Madrid forward ending the 2025/26 campaign without a major trophy for club or country.

The Cameroon legend pointed to the Frenchman's individual numbers, including 31 La Liga goals, 15 in the Champions League and 10 at the World Cup, arguing that he had fulfilled his responsibilities despite his team's struggles.

Yamal came third, with Mboma praising the Barcelona winger's technical quality, consistency and development. However, he felt the teenager had not been particularly outstanding during Spain's successful World Cup campaign.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane took fourth place for his goalscoring, creativity and contribution to the team's performances, while PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia completed the list. Mboma suggested Georgia's failure to qualify for the World Cup weakened the winger's case for a higher position.

Mboma's top five features Messi, Mbappé, Yamal, Kane and Kvaratskhelia, in that order. His ranking mirrors Algeria legend Rabah Madjer's selections in one respect: both former African stars omitted African national team players from their preferred candidates. These remain personal opinions rather than official Ballon d'Or voting results.