Lionel Messi deserves the Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi deserves the Ballon d’Or, and there are reasons to believe so, beyond his Latin roots and those who follow the Argentine star.

Today, Lionel Messi is considered by Argentinians as the greatest player in history after winning the World Cup, the only trophy missing from his collection.

But as Messi’s career appears to be entering its twilight phase, the Ballon d’Or should be a recognition of his consistency.

Lionel Messi is nominated to win the Ballon d’Or, and a close contest is shaping up for the title of the world’s best player.

In fact, Messi is one of the favorites among the 30 nominees, with his primary rival being Norwegian forward Erling Haaland.

The Ballon d’Or, presented by France Football magazine, covers the 2022-2023 football season, with the ceremony scheduled for October 30th in Paris, France.

Now, let’s look at the reasons why we can argue that Lionel Messi deserves the Ballon d’Or.

Firstly, Lionel Messi is the leader of the current world champions.

But not only was he the leader, Messi also shone in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Not only did he score seven goals, but he also displayed leadership by helping the Argentine national team win its third World Cup.

With this championship, Messi is now in the debate alongside Maradona and Pelé as the world’s best.

Another reason to consider Messi deserving of the Ballon d’Or is that, at the age of 36, he continues to perform at the pinnacle of football.

Lionel Messi deserves the Ballon d’Or

This marks his sixteenth Ballon d’Or nomination.

The Miami-based forward has won seven Ballon d’Or awards (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021) and aims to widen his lead over Cristiano Ronaldo, his closest competitor with five (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017).

Other football legends like Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, and Marco van Basten have won three Ballon d’Or titles; Franz Beckenbauer and Ronaldo Nazario have two; Ronaldinho, Luis Figo, and Zidane have one. That’s the greatness of Messi.

According to France Football, Messi registered 54 matches, 38 goals, and 25 assists in the 2022-2023 season—an impressive performance for a player who is supposed to be in the twilight of his career.

In addition to the World Cup, Messi won Ligue 1 and the French Super Cup during the season.

While France Football notes that Erling Haaland played 57 matches in the season, scored 56 goals, and provided 9 assists, participating in a total of 66 goals—only three more than Messi, who is 13 years his senior.

Haaland’s main achievement in the previous season was the 12 goals he scored in 11 Champions League matches for Manchester City, a tournament that had eluded the English team until then.

The answer seems obvious: the Champions League is held every year, while the World Cup occurs only every four years, and only the best have a World Cup trophy in their collection.

Considering these numbers, it becomes clear that Messi deserves the Ballon d’Or.

Also read: The First Matchday of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup

Tomado de ESPN