Messi attends youth tournament in US instead of 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony

Lionel Messi was in the United States for the opening of the second edition of the Messi Cup while the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony took place in London on Monday.

The Inter Miami captain attended the event for under-16 players, organised through his company 525 Rosario. His appearance confirmed that he would not travel to the British capital for the awards ceremony, where he had been a central figure over many years.

Spanish newspaper Marca had previously reported that Messi would miss the event. The Argentine had only recently returned from Spain, where he collected the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, before travelling back to the United States to play for Inter Miami against New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

Inter Miami are due to face Cincinnati in MLS on Wednesday. Making the journey to London and returning within a short period would have added to Messi’s workload as he prepares for the next match.

The second Messi Cup features 16 teams and will run for one week, with 48 matches scheduled in total. Among the participating clubs are Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester City, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Newell’s Old Boys and Inter Miami.

Messi remains one of the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, although the ceremony organisers had not officially confirmed whether he would attend. Journalist Fabrizio Romano had also reported that the Argentina international had not been invited to present any award during the evening.

The 39-year-old holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or victories, having won the prize eight times.