Two and a half months after the Ballon d’Or, the verdict for The Best Trophies was delivered this Monday in London. And it is surprising…
On October 30 in Paris, Lionel Messi received the eighth Ballon d’Or of his career. A decision mainly motivated by the world title won by Argentina 10 months earlier in Qatar. This Monday, The Best Trophies in turn delivered their verdict on the best player in the world. On 2023 and only this calendar year, therefore without taking into account in theory the 2022 World Cup. And yet La Pulga still won.
Finalist alongside his attacking counterparts Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, the Albiceleste veteran made a fool of his young rivals according to the votes expressed in particular by the selectors and captains of the FIFA-branded nations. Lionel Messi thus collected the first votes from his former Parisian teammates Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, the Brazilian phenomenon not having failed to slip the name of the captain of the Blues into second position.
Haaland wronged?
There remains a surprising choice in the end when Lionel Messi had already been distinguished in January 2023 for his work at the 2022 World Cup. Since his departure from Paris for Miami, the former Barça playing master has not necessarily burst onto the screen. Seeing him preferred for example to Erling Haaland who last year won everything with Manchester City (the Premier League, the Cup, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup) is something to be concerned about.
Note that none of the three finalists made the trip to London this Monday. Unlike Pep Guardiola and Ederson who indeed represented the Skyblues by inheriting the trophies for best coach and best goalkeeper of the year 2023 respectively. Ahead of Yassine Bounou (Sevilla FC, Morocco) and Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid, Belgium) as for the second.
