After it was reported that Lionel Messi will win the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time, Michail Antonio said it would be a “scandal” if Erling Haaland did not take home the trophy.
Messi won the Golden Ball and led Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar last December. He is a superstar at Barcelona. After leaving PSG in July, the 36-year-old player signed with David Beckham’s Inter Miami.
Haaland, meanwhile, scored 36 goals in the Premier League in his first season with Manchester City, shattering many records. Haaland finished the season with the treble as City won the Champions League in June. He scored 16 goals in all competitions.
Premier League stars Callum Wilson and Antonio agree that Haaland should win the Ballon d’Or, however he is up against some stiff competition from the likes of Jude Bellingham, Rodri, and Kylian Mbappe. Wilson, a forward for Newcastle, said, “What Haaland did last season can’t be overlooked,” on the Footballers’ Footballer Podcast.
Statistically speaking, if we exclude international football, Haaland comes out on top. Messi’s first World Cup victory is undeniably important, but he has been playing club football in the United States, which is vastly different from Haaland’s experience in the English Premier League.
Antonio, a West Ham player, went on, “I agree with Callum. Even if Messi’s World Cup victory was monumental, a treble-winning squad and the record-breaking contributions of Haaland should not be overlooked. He is deserving of the award. A controversy will ensue if he doesn’t understand.”
Meanwhile, former Barcelona and current Haaland manager Pep Guardiola gave his opinion on the Ballon d’Or race. Before his team’s match against Brighton, Guardiola remarked, “I always said that the Ballon d’Or had to be two sections: one for Messi and one for the others.”
Even if you tell me Messi’s worst season, it will be the best for the rest of the team. They both deserve it. I suppose I could be egotistical and say that I want Erling because of what he has done for us. Even though it wouldn’t be fair to me, I won’t complain if Leo comes out on top. It’s great that so many of Man City’s players will be competing for these titles again after so many years away. That’s why our company is so special to us.