Lionel Messi refuses to answer Cristiano Ronaldo question after Ballon d’Or
Lionel Messi has all but ended football’s great debate in the last 12 months.
By lifting the World Cup in Qatar, the Argentinian superstar did something rival Cristiano Ronaldo was never able to do. Largely due to that achievement, he received an eighth men’s Ballon d’Or trophy in Paris on Monday night to extend his stranglehold over Ronaldo when it comes to winning football's most prestigious individual accolade.
At this point, the verdict is pretty unanimous that Messi is the greatest of all time. For years, that debate has centred on him against Ronaldo. Whilst Ronaldo was not named, the insinuation cannot be ignored when Messi was asked if he believes he is the best player of all time.
In typically diplomatic fashion, and true to his previous statements on the Ballon d'Or, he simply refused to answer that question in his press conference after winning yet again.
READ MORE: Lionel Messi's eighth Ballon d'Or triumph makes mockery of Cristiano Ronaldo claim
Man Utd lose seven players and sign three as January transfer window closes
“I don't know if I'm the best,” Messi told L’Equipe. “I don't ask myself the question and it doesn't interest me.
“The fact that they say that I am one of the best is already an honour. All children want to play football and try to be one of the best.”
Messi’s typically humble response came after he refused to compare his eighth Ballon d’Or win to the many that had come before. He insisted each award remains special for its own reasons.
(L'Equipe)“Every Ballon d’Or is special,” he said. “I have had immense successes at Barça but the rewards I have obtained thanks to Argentina are even greater. Winning the World Cup was crazy and I hope we win again the next edition.”
Asked if it was the best year of his career, he added: “I don't know but it’s different from the others. I was able to play in the best teams in the world, win the Champions League, the Copa America but the World Cup is really special.
“It was the only thing I was missing, most importantly, I dreamed of it when I was a child. It's so important in Argentina and I had this chance.”
After making the move to Major League Soccer, and with Ronaldo now in Saudi Arabia, it seems their era of Ballon d’Or dominance is now over. Messi edged Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to the prize this time around, but predicted in his acceptance speech on stage that the pair will be involved in many more duels to win the award in the future.
He said: "It's going to be a nice fight between the two of them and between several other younger players around here. They both deserved it this year. Erling, this could have been yours and it would have felt perfect."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
