Inter Milan legend Lothar Matthaus has said Manchester City star Erling Haaland deserved to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or, claiming winner Lionel Messi was not better than the striker.
Inter Miami superstar Messi claimed his eighth Ballon d’Or at a swanky event in Paris on Monday night (October 30). Manchester City ace Haaland finished in second place while Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and France superstar Kylian Mbappe came third.
Matthaus Calls Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or Win A “Farce”
Messi, who first won the Ballon d’Or in 2009, was at his majestic best for Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Haaland, meanwhile, helped the Cityzens to a historic Treble in the 2022-23 campaign.
After seeing Messi come out on top for a record-extending eighth time on Monday, Matthaus called out France Football. He said the magazine did not look beyond the month-long FIFA World Cup campaign in Qatar last year. The Germany legend told Sky Deutschland (via La Gazzetta dello Sport):
“Haaland has done better than Messi for the entire year.
“This award is not deserved and it proves that the World Cup counts more than everything. To me, nobody was better than Haaland, he was the best in the last 12 months. He won important titles with Manchester City, setting a record for goals. It was a farce even if I’ve always been a Messi fan.”
Surprisingly, Matthaus also benefitted from a triumphant FIFA World Cup campaign during his playing career. Thanks to Germany’s win at the 1990 World Cup, FIFA Silver Ball winner Matthaus managed to bag the Ballon d’Or toward the end of the year.
Haaland Outshone Messi In Club Soccer
Messi was in sensational form for La Albiceleste in Qatar, pitching in with seven goals and three assists as his country won their third FIFA World Cup. Haaland’s country Norway failed to qualify for the showpiece event in Qatar, which kept the striker from making an impact at the tournament.
In club soccer, however, the story was quite different. Messi struggled to attain consistency at PSG last season, scoring 21 times and providing 20 assists in 41 games across competitions. Les Parisiens won the Ligue 1 title but failed to go deep in either the UEFA Champions League or the Coupe de France.
Haaland, on the other hand, emerged as Manchester City’s brightest player as they won the Treble last season. The Norwegian scored 52 goals in 53 games across competitions during City’s historic campaign.
While Haaland failed to win the Ballon d’Or, he was awarded the Gerd Muller Trophy (Best Striker) on Monday. The former Borussia Dortmund star won it after scoring 56 goals for Norway and Manchester City.
