Lionel Messi didn’t ‘rob’ Ballon d’Or as Jose Mourinho defends Inter Miami superstar’s 2010 nod following Inter legend Wesley Sneijder’s ‘unfair’ claims

Former Dutch international Sneijder felt it was "unfair" he did not get the individual accolade in 2010 after helping Mourinho's Inter win the Champions League, Coppa Italia and Serie A. Despite Messi just winning La Liga and seeing his Argentina side lose in the World Cup quarter-finals that year, whereas the Netherlands were runners-up to Spain, the former Roma manager has come to the aid of the Inter Miami ace.

On Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five podcast, the Portuguese said: "I don’t like to say it robbed. Who won it? Messi? So, not robbed. But Wesley did the treble, the Champions League winner, I think the World Cup final in the same season. So Wesley should be there at least in the top 3, but when in the last generation, when Cristiano [Ronaldo], Messi, they win the Ballon d’Or, it’s never robbed."

While some of Messi's Ballon d'Or wins have been questioned, particularly the 2023 award after he scored fewer goals than Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City's Erling Haaland and played in a weaker league in the MLS, the 36-year-old will go down as one of the greatest players ever. That undoubtedly means more than any individual accolades.

Messi's Miami begin their 2024 MLS campaign at home to Real Salt Lake on February 22, before taking on La Galaxy away from home. Sneijder, on the other hand, retired from the game in 2019.