The 2023 Ballon d’Or went to Argentina superstar Lionel Messi for an eighth time, as he fended off challenges from the likes of Erling Haaland of Manchester City and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain to the prestigious award. Messi was a hot favourite, but Joleon Lescott and Rio Ferdinand made the case for Norway striker Haaland to have picked up the prize.
Rio Ferdinand has said Erling Haaland could have done nothing more to try and secure the Ballon d’Or.
Lionel Messi picked up the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time last week, with the Argentina legend seemingly rewarded for helping his country win the World Cup in December 2022.
Winning the World Cup for the first time in his career was a huge achievement for Messi, and it is highly likely it swayed many into opting for the Argentina international instead of the likes of Haaland or Kylian Mbappe.
Messi won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain in 2022/2023, with 21 goals and 20 assists to his name, but those efforts were eclipsed on the domestic scene by Haaland who won the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FA Cup – and plundered 52 goals.
Ferdinand pointed to a Messi factor in the voting, as he highlighted Haaland’s efforts for Manchester City.
“Messi’s a great player,” Ferdinand said on TNT Sports. “I don’t want this to get twisted but what he [Haaland] did last season in terms of scoring that amount of goals.
“If Messi doesn’t win the World Cup, then there’s no chance of him being considered – I don’t think – for that Ballon d’Or.
“This guy [Haaland] has done everything he could do. There’s nothing more that he could have done to have put himself in any better position to have won the Ballon d’Or.”
At 23, Haaland has the chance to win the Ballon d’Or in the future, and Ferdinand feels it will only be an issue if he does not get his hands on the award.