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Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola feels both Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi deserve to win the Ballon d’or Award after their extra-ordinary 2022-23 season
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes both Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi deserve to win the Ballon d’Or award following their stellar 2022-23 season.
Messi is reportedly set to be handed a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or award after leading Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar last year before winning the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain.
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08:59 - 17.10.2023
Report: Lionel Messi to win 8th Ballon d'Or ahead of Haaland, Mbappe
Argentina captain Lionel Messi is reportedly set to win his 8th Ballon d'Or.
Haaland, meanwhile, led City to the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup, scoring over 50 goals, but according to reports, that will still not be enough to topple Messi.
It is a delicate balance that has left Guardiola also torn about who between the two deserves to be awarded the prestigious gong.
“[Erling] Haaland should win, yes. We won the treble and he scored 50 goals but of course, Messi, the worst season of Messi is the best of the rest,” Guardiola said on Friday.
“They both deserve it. I would say I want Erling because he helped us achieve what we have, I would love it but they [Argentina] won the World Cup.”
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23:30 - 10.10.2023
Ballon d'Or: Mbappe or Haaland deserves the award not Messi — Juventus star
France international Adrien Rabiot claims Lionel Messi does not deserve the Ballon d'Or over his compatriot Kylian Mbappe or treble winner Erling Haaland.
Haaland had 52 goals and nine assists while Messi bagged 32 goals and 25 assists which has left them in a two-way battle for the award which was claimed by France forward and former Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema last year.
France and PSG forward Kylian Mbappe (41 goals, 10 assists) and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah (30 goals, 16 assists), who plays for Liverpool, are the other contenders although they stand little chance against the leading duo.
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16:40 - 12.10.2023
Ballon d'Or: Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos insists award 'not important'
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos, has claimed winning the Ballon d’Or is not important to him.
Messi won his seventh Ballon d’Or in 2021 while Haaland is bidding for his first.
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