Lionel Messi’s Ballon D’Or ‘a farce’ as another star deserved it, says former winner

Inter legend Lothar Matthäus believes Erling Haaland deserved thҽ Ballon d’Or more than Leo Messi: ‘It was a farce.’

thҽ Inter Miami forward picked up his eighth Ballon D’Or on Monday night, extending his own record for thҽ most wins of thҽ prestigious award.

His success was chiefly down to leading Argentina to an incredible World Cup win in Qatar, which saw Messi pretty much complete a near-perfect football CV.

Former Inter and Germany star Matthäus was not impressed, though, feeling that thҽ World Cup win was given far too much significance and that Haaland was by far thҽ better player over thҽ last year.

“Haaland has done better than Messi for thҽ entire year,” thҽ 62-year-old told Sky Deutschland as quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“This award is not deserved and it proves that thҽ World Cup counts more than everything. To me, nobody was better than Haaland, he was thҽ best in thҽ last 12 months. He won important titles with Manchester City, setting a record for goals. It was a farce even if I’ve always been a Messi fan.”

Messi himself admitted that Haaland would have been a worthy winner after his immense season with Manchester City, winning thҽ Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, while scoring 52 goals in 53 games.

‘Erling deserved it very much too, he has won Premier League, Champions League while being thҽ top scorer of everything. This award could have been yours today too,’ said Messi. ‘I’m sure in thҽ next years you will win it.’