Football award
Messi: Haaland and Mbappé will also win the Ballon d’Or
Won the Ballon d’Or for the eighth and probably last time: Lionel Messi. photo
© Michel Euler/AP/dpa
For the eighth and probably last time, Lionel Messi secures the Ballon d’Or. The Argentine has a clear opinion about who can follow him in the coming years.
Soccer world champion Lionel Messi is sure that too Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé will win the Ballon d’Or in the coming years.
“Erling would have very much deserved it too. He won the Premier League and the Champions League and was also the top goalscorer of all time. This award could have been yours today…” said Messi in Paris. He had recently received the Golden Ball for his achievements for the eighth time. “I’m sure you’ll win it in the next few years,” added the 36-year-old Argentine in the direction of Norwegian super striker Haaland.
Messi came out on top in journalists’ voting, ahead of Manchester City’s Haaland in second place and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé in third place. “Haaland and Mbappé will win the Ballon d’Or one day,” said Messi from US club Inter Miami. Co-owner David Beckham presented the award to Messi and then spoke of it as a “great honor”.
World Cup triumph in Qatar
Messi was honored for his performances at his former club Paris and especially with the national team in the past season. At the World Cup in Qatar, the South Americans triumphed in a thrilling final against France. After his time at PSG, the superstar moved to Inter Miami in the USA in the summer.
The best German was national team captain Ilkay Gündogan in 14th place, Jamal Musiala from FC Bayern came in 26th. In the women’s category, Alexandra Popp from VfL Wolfsburg came in seventh, and as expected, the Golden Ball went to Spanish world champion Aitana Bonmatí from FC Barcelona.