While we thought that Lionel Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or would be his last, the Argentinian is still far from having said his last word.
What if 2024 was also (and again) the year of Lionel Messi? The Argentinian may not have finished his collection of trophies and individual awards, which continued at the start of the week with his new success during The Best ceremony.
Messi was named the best player of the year 2023, and so it was not for winning the World Cup with Argentina, but rather for his performances with PSG and Inter Miami. His detractors accuse him of riding on the victory of the Albiceleste at the World Cup, and of benefiting from a little too much credit in ballots such as those for The Best and the Ballon d’Or. And the bad news for them is that the story could continue.
A Copa America-Olympic double?
In 2024, in addition to the weekly soap opera that MLS will be for him, Messi could have two great opportunities to score points with voters. First there will be the Copa America in June, in the United States. Argentina will of course be among the favorites, and could win another very big title at the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup.
Afterwards, there will be the Olympic Games, which Messi hopes to play, just like Angel Di Maria. There is still a way to go, since the Argentina U23s must already qualify for Paris. But imagine if Messi achieves a Copa America-Olympic double next summer… The 2024 Ballon d’Or would already be promised to him…
