The new Ballon d’Or won on Monday by Lionel Messi does not go to Chile…
Lionel Messi is undoubtedly not surprised by the criticism which accompanied his coronation, Monday evening, on the stage of the Théâtre du Châtelet. Although expected, this eighth Ballon d’Or certainly sparked strong reactions. But it was the same in 2019 when he was preferred to Virgil van Dijk despite the golden year of the star Liverpool defender and especially in 2021 when he was ahead of Robert Lewandowski despite the titles piled up by the Pole and statistics that had nothing to envy of those of the Argentinian.
Lionel Messi has nonetheless had his ears ringing since Sunday. And it is the same for the organizers of the Ballon d’Or. As evidenced by the exit of former striker Mauricio Pinilla, who passed through Genoa. “ If you win the Ballon d’Or playing in MLS, it’s because we’ve gone crazy… Or because MLS has become a world power…”he confided to the microphone of ESPN.
“The World Cup was very important, but I don’t know why we give awards over a year if only one competition counts in the end. It’s good that it’s important, but over the year as a whole, he hasn’t been the best for me, said the Chilean, also slipping in a well-felt tackle aimed at Emiliano Martinez, who won the Lev Yashin Trophy. I no longer believe in these trophies. And Dibu Martinez, it borders on ridiculous. »
