Former Barcelona striker Thierry Henry has stated that Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi should win the 2023 edition of the Ballon d’Or award.
Messi is in pole position to win a record extending eighth Ballon d’Or after winning the gong in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021.
Many reports seem to suggest that the 36 year old has been informed of his triumph with regards to the annual award ceremony.
The former Paris Saint-Germain winger led Argentina to a historic 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar. Triumphing over France 4-2 on penalties following a pulsating 3-3 draw.
Messi scored seven times and dished out three assists to emerge the player of the tournament. He also won the French Ligue 1 playmaker of the year after totalling 16 assists plus winning the league title as well.
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He has other close competitors like Norwegian striker Erling Haaland who fired Manchester City to a historic European treble after scoring 52 goals in 53 appearances for the Premier League club.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe who scored eight goals to win the World Cup golden boot and finishing runner-up with France at the quadrennial tournament. Mbappe also won the French League golden boot with 29 goals and the Ligue 1.
In a video posted on CBS Sports Golazo‘s YouTube channel, Henry said he has no doubt that Messi deserves the Ballon d’Or.
“I mean, a lot of people can debate that, for me if you win the World Cup and the way he did it and you can talk about what happened in the final,” Henry said.
“As a Frenchman I was a bit disappointed with how we finished, but you can’t say that it’s not also deserved if he wins it. Like, a lot of people can pretend and the Man City players, Haaland and some other players can also say ‘why not me’, but you can’t say it’s not right if he wins it.
“In the history at times, I’m thinking about Lewandowski, they decided to say that there is not going to be any Ballon d’Or, but there was football, why wasn’t the guy allowed to have his golden ball, Ballon d’Or shall I say. For me Messi, bye.”
The Ballon d’Or was started in the year 1956 when England forward Stanley Matthews won the award.
Messi has got 11 goals and five assists in 14 games across all competitions for Inter Miami this season.
He has scored a total of 106 goals and laid on 53 assists in 178 games for Argentina.
The 36 year old has netted thrice in three appearances for the Albiceleste in the CONMEBOL qualifying series for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina are first in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying with 12 points from four games.
The Ballon d’Or award ceremony will take place on Monday, October 30 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
