Lionel Messi or Erling Haaland? With a view to the Ballon d’Or, Pep Guardiola has chosen his side: both! Questioned this Friday at a press conference, on the sidelines of Manchester City’s return to competition against Brighton in the Premier League (Saturday at 4 p.m.), the Citizens coach used irony to answer a journalist’s question to him asking for his vote.
“Ha ha ha, you are so funny…” first squeaked the Spanish technician, who currently coaches Haaland at City and managed Messi for three seasons at Barcelona (2008-2012).
“The Ballon d’Or was to have two sections. One for Messi, and then we look for the others. So Haaland should win, yes. He won the treble and scored 50 million goals,” Guardiola then responded, referring to the three trophies won (Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League) and the 52 goals scored in 51 matches by his Norwegian striker last season. last.
Little focused on individual distinctions, the 52-year-old coach recalled his admiration for Messi, with whom he notably won two Champions Leagues and three Spanish Championships during their years together in Catalonia. “Messi’s worst season would be the best for others. Both deserve it, so what can I say? », he concluded, about the announced duel between the two men for the next Ballon d’Or, awarded on October 30 in Paris.
Winner of the World Cup with Argentina on December 18, 2022 and voted best player of the competition, Lionel Messi is the favorite for an eighth coronation, while Haaland is seeking the individual distinction for the first time. The two players are among the thirty named to succeed Frenchman Karim Benzema, winner in 2022. The case of Kylian Mbappé was not mentioned during this exchange.
