Former Chelsea midfielder, Ruud Gullit, believes Lionel Messi is the favourite to win this year’s Ballon d’Or Award.
Gullit said this while speaking about the next possible Ballon d’Or winner.
Recall that the Argentina star won the 2022 FIFA World Cup after beating France via penalties in the final to lift the trophy for the first time.
Gullit said Messi is from a different player, adding that he is at the same level as late football icons Pele and Diego Maradona.
“Because Messi won the World Cup, he has the biggest chance of winning (Ballon d’Or), but Mbappe, my God, has so much respect for him,” Gullit said (via Times of India).
“He is at the same level (as Messi). What he has done in the World Cup final, to take that responsibility as a young kid, is unbelievable. I find that extraordinary.”
He added, “There was a lot of pressure on him to win the World Cup, and he did it. Especially for the legacy of Messi, this is fantastic. We have seen him do things that are out of order, that he is from a different planet, but winning the World Cup is exceptional. He is with the greats of football, as with Pele and Maradona.”
