LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Lionel Messi, who secured his record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or win in Paris, took a moment to express admiration for his fellow competitors, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
The Argentine superstar commended the two young talents, predicting their future success and highlighting Haaland’s exceptional performance with Manchester City during the 2022/23 season.
In his acceptance speech, Messi shared his thoughts: “Haaland and Mbappe will win the Ballon d’Or one day.
Erling deserved it very much too; he has won the Premier League and Champions League while being the top scorer in everything.
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“This award could have been yours today too. I’m sure in the next years you will win it.”
Erling Haaland had an outstanding season, scoring an astonishing 52 goals for Manchester City in the 2022/23 season, contributing significantly to the club’s historic treble victory.
He secured the top scorer titles in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Kylian Mbappe, who placed third in the Ballon d’Or rankings, also had an exceptional season, netting 55 goals for club and country in the previous campaign.
He won the World Cup Golden Boot and celebrated winning the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain.
With Inter Miami’s failure to make the MLS playoffs, Lionel Messi is looking forward to a well-deserved break with his family.
