In the world of soccer, one man has carved out a legacy for himself that serves as a reminder of his talent, skill, and extreme dedication to the sport. With eight Ballon d’Or awards lining his trophy cabinet, Messi’s prowess on the pitch is simply unmatched. However, as the soccer world eagerly awaited the Ballon d’Or ceremony on October 30, many had opinions on who would be the victor. Following the event, many players and fans of the game argued against Messi’s eighth victory for the prestigious prize. The main argument against Messi is Erling Haaland’s outstanding performance during his first season in the Premier League for Manchester City, and his contribution to them winning the Champions League.
Although Erling Haaland had an amazing first season, those who support Messi point to his performance for Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, which Argentina won for the third time following a 36-year drought. Let’s start with Messi’s numbers during the World Cup. He scored seven goals throughout the tournament, with two goals in the final alone. In addition to the World Cup, Messi also played at PSG (Paris Saint-Germain), a French club based in Paris, and Inter Miami in the United States. Messi won the League Cup in the U.S. and Ligue 1 and the Trophée des Champions in France. For some, these achievements are more than sufficient to warrant a Ballon d’Or, especially for a player at Messi’s level. However, questions arise about whether this truly warranted his win, which some consider more than enough and others a ridiculous prize considering his contributions.
Messi’s transition from Barcelona to PSG marked a significant chapter in his career, but questions arise about the true impact he had on his new team’s success, unlike at Inter Miami, where it was more obvious. Did he truly elevate PSG to unprecedented heights, or did he simply ride the hype train of an already formidable squad at PSG, or what some people call the “Dream Team”? While Messi at Barcelona was widely applauded for his treble-winning performances, Haaland’s Manchester City won the treble, and he broke the Premier League’s goalscoring record for a season in his first season for the team. In addition to this record, Haaland has broken 26 records. This brings up a dilemma: Haaland’s treble-winning team, which means winning every major trophy possible for that season and shattering several records, or a man who led a subpar MLS team and an Argentina team to their third World Cup win after 36 years.
For me, however, I believe that if the World Cup was the biggest factor in the decision, Mbappe could’ve won it simply because of his hat trick in the final. If you break 26 records and win a treble, you should win the Ballon d’Or. Messi, although his accomplishments for this year are respectable. I don’t believe it gives him the right to claim his eighth Ballon d’Or, especially from a person like Haaland who has done so much in such a short amount of time. I believe that if the time was right for the next generation of players to get their hands on the coveted prize, it’d be now. Yet that didn’t happen this year, which for many people, including myself, is more than disappointing. This year, as a result, felt more like a popularity contest than a ceremony to celebrate a player who truly left a mark on the sport for last season.
In conclusion, while Lionel Messi’s talent is beyond dispute, the question of whether he deserves an eighth Ballon d’Or based on the impact he had on PSG’s success and ultimately Inter Miami too, and whether those are proportionate to the achievements of other contenders, soccer, like anything else, is dynamic and ever-evolving, and the Ballon d’Or should reflect the player who has truly left an indelible mark on the year in question. Only time will tell whether Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or is a justified recognition of his impact or a result of the aura that surrounds his iconic name.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/30/sports/soccer/messi-wins-ballon-dor.html
FIFA World Cup Stats, 2022 Season – ESPN
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_FIFA_World_Cup_final
https://www.transfermarkt.com/lionel-messi/leistungsdaten/spieler/28003
https://www.transfermarkt.com/erling-haaland/leistungsdaten/spieler/418560
Simon Bleier • Dec 21, 2023 at 12:41 pm
Great insight! Extremely interesting to hear you break it down like this.