The monthly France Football wanted to apologize to Lionel Messi for not having retained him among the nominees for the Ballon d’Or.
This year, and for the first time since 2005, Lionel Messi is not among the contenders for the Ballon d’Or title. The list of 30 nominees has been revealed and the Argentinian is not part of it. His final season was not deemed good enough for him to apply for his own succession.
The France Football jury had no scruples in dismissing the defending champion. Nevertheless, the magazine’s editor, Pascal Ferré, saw fit to apologize to La Pulga. He published an editorial which he titled “Pardon Leo”. “Pardon Leo for what you might mistake for baseness, ingratitude or lack of recognition, could we also read in this ball. This non-selection is not a condemnation. We bet it’s just a goodbye? And not a farewell. Because you can’t “leave” like this. Oh no, Leo, not you, not now, not after all you’ve done.”
The@FranceFootball_special Ballon d’Or lists come out this Saturday. With the 30 named for men, the 20 named for women, the 10 for goalkeepers (T. Yachine) and the 10 for young people (T. Kopa) + an itw of@KMbappeon his relationship to this trophy. pic.twitter.com/miTbpXzlbF
— Pascal Ferré (@Pasferre) August 11, 2022
Drogba wanted to retain Messi
In the same way that they wanted to justify the presence of each nominee inside the magazine, the journalists of France Football wanted to explain themselves about the omission of the one who holds the record of consecrations. Still Ferré: “Not inviting the Argentinian to the high mass of football leaders is not a trivial decision. It was taken collegially… and without too much discussion. As if unanimity continued to stick to his shorts. Except this time it’s the other way around. Why ? Because after having spread caviar on us for more than a decade, his Parisian ham and butter inevitably left us a little on the stomach. Because the ordinary suits him badly”.
Among the few juries that opposed the ouster of the Parisian star there is Didier Drogba, who has the right to vote in his capacity as ambassador of the Ballon d’Or. “It’s Messi, anyway! “, he had dropped to the assistance, without his rant being taken into account. The Pulga will therefore be well and truly deprived of the great feast, while Cristiano Ronaldo, his great rival, was entitled to an 18e consecutive appointment.
