Lionel Messi, the football maestro, has already clinched a record seven Ballon d'Or awards. However, as the world awaits the announcement of this year's winner, a potential eighth win for Messi is stirring controversy in football circles.
Messi's recent accomplishments, including captaining Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar and securing the Golden Ball with seven goals, are undeniable. Yet, his performance during the 2022-23 season, particularly with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), has been under scrutiny. After a less than stellar season with PSG, Messi left the club on a free transfer.
Michail Antonio, a Premier League player for West Ham United, voiced his concerns over Messi's potential win. He argued that while Messi's World Cup victory is significant, it shouldn't overshadow Erling Haaland's achievements during the season. Haaland, in his debut campaign with Manchester City, shattered records by scoring the most goals in a single Premier League season (36) and added 16 more in other competitions. His efforts were instrumental in Manchester City's treble win, securing the Champions League, FA Cup, and the Premier League.
Antonio stated, "If you take away international football and compare statistically... Haaland should win the award. You can't look past Messi winning his first World Cup as it's a big contributing factor, but club football-wise he's been playing in America which is very different to Haaland in the Premier League."
Football enthusiasts have also weighed in on the debate. One user on X, formerly known as Twitter, expressed, "Probably an unpopular opinion but I think Messi does not deserve to win the Ballon D'or for the following reasons. 1. He was poor at PSG. 2. He had a decent World Cup but Mbappe performed better." Another user questioned the criteria for the award, pointing out that if World Cup performance was a determining factor, then Andres Iniesta should have won the Ballon d'Or in 2010 over Messi, given Spain's World Cup victory.
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City's manager and Messi's former coach at Barcelona, also weighed in on the debate. He firmly believes that Haaland deserves the award this year, stating, "Haaland should win - Yes. We won the treble and he scored 50 million goals." Guardiola's tenure at Barcelona with Messi was one of the most successful periods for the club, making his endorsement of Haaland even more significant.
Amidst the speculations and leaked results suggesting Messi's victory, Pascal Ferré, the editor-in-chief of France Football, the magazine responsible for the Ballon d'Or award, denied the rumors. He remarked, "That's a lot of bullsh*t we've seen in the last ten days. A big bluff."
In conclusion, while Lionel Messi's contributions to football are unparalleled, the debate over this year's Ballon d'Or winner underscores the importance of evaluating players based on their overall performance, both at the club and international levels. As the football world awaits the official announcement, the discussions and debates are a testament to the passion and love for the beautiful game.
