Barcelona icon Lionel Messi has this week received the backing of former Real Madrid star David Beckham to lift this year’s Ballon d’Or.

This comes fresh off another starring performance for the Argentine in the colours of Inter Miami.

Messi’s Inter locked horns with Cruz Azul in the early hours of Thursday, in the finale of the Campeones Cup. And en route to an eventual 2-0 triumph, the 39-year-old netted the opener, before laying on the assist for Casemiro’s clincher late on.

Post-match, the subject of Messi’s candidacy for this year’s Ballon d’Or in turn returned to the forefront of the headlines. Though not currently considered as being amongst the very frontrunners for the prize, the eight-time winner did enjoy nothing short of a historic World Cup with his native Argentina this summer.

And one individual of the opinion that as much should be enough, all things considered, to place Messi atop the pile for the ‘Golden Ball’ is the aforementioned David Beckham.

Speaking in the aftermath of his side’s latest silverware haul, Inter Miami owner Beckham revealed his take that:

”Lionel Messi should win the Ballon d’Or. He was probably the best player at the World Cup; his last year was incredible. There’s no one at 39 years old doing that and at that level.”