Lionel Messi sends sweet message to snubbed Man City star Erling Haaland after Ballon d'Or win

Ifeanyi Ufomadu 09:49 - 31 October 2023

After a record 8th Ballon d'Or win, Lionel Messi has offered sympathy to Erling Haaland who finished in second place.

Messi landed an 8th Ballon d'Or win on an emotional night in Paris, rewarded for an exceptional World Cup performance, leading his country to triumph in Qatar.

💬 The speech of the 2023 Ballon d'Or winner, Lionel Messi #ballondor pic.twitter.com/HRaNdRwclG
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@ballondor) October 30, 2023

The Argentina captain will surely go down as the game's greatest-ever player, certainly the most successful when all is said and done.

Erling Haaland can certainly feel disappointed after finishing second, despite scoring nearly 60 goals and winning the Treble with Manchester City.

Fans reaction to Messi winning the Ballon d'Or award for the eighth time

Football

‘Messi is infinity’- Social media fans react to the Argentine's eighth Ballon d’Or award

Lionel Messi backs Haaland for next Ballon d'Or

With the era of Messi and Ronaldo now certainly over, the ex-Barcelona man has backed Haaland and Mbappe to win the next editions of the award.

🚨✨ Ballon d’Or top three ranking.

1️⃣ Lionel Messi
2️⃣ Erling Haaland
3️⃣ Kylian Mbappé pic.twitter.com/pZEleF2BqX
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 30, 2023

“Haaland and Mbappe will win the Ballon d’Or one day,” he said.

“Erling deserved it very much too, he has won the Premier League, and Champions League while being the top scorer of everything. This award could have been yours today too.

“I’m sure in the next years you will win it”.

Lionel Messi Erling Braut Haaland Kylian Mbappe Lottin