- Messi reported to win his eighth Ballon d'Or
- Rodri also put his weight behind Messi
- Ruled himself out due to lack of marketing
WHAT HAPPENED? Argentine superstar Messi guided his nation to their third World Cup crown in Qatar and won a second Ligue 1 title at Paris Saint-Germain in 2022-23. He already boasts of having seven Golden Balls to his name and is being tipped to secure a record-extending eighth in Paris on October 30. Rodri has admitted that the Inter Miami forward is the favourite for the Ballon d'Or, despite his team-mate Haaland scoring 52 goals to fire City to treble glory in his debut season at Etihad Stadium.
WHAT THEY SAID: "I think a certain Leo Messi is going to take it. Haaland is also a very large figure and has merits," the City star said in an interview with COPE.
Rodri has also been nominated for the 2023 prize, but doesn't expect to win because he is not in the public eye as much as his peers. "I know it's an individual award with a lot of marketing," he added. "Among the monsters I'm with, of course, I lacked marketing, like Xavi and Iniesta. I worry about the things I can control, which is the collective awards."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: If Messi goes on to lift the award, then he will set a unique record of becoming the first player to win the coveted individual prize while playing club football beyond the boundaries of Europe. He joined MLS side Inter Miami over the summer and guided them to the Leagues Cup title, but failed to fire them to an MLS playoff spot after missing five games with a muscle injury.
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IN TWO PHOTOS:
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Getty WHAT NEXT? It has been reported that Aitana Bonmati, another World Cup winner and the player of the tournament at the 2023 women's event, will receive the Ballon d’Or Feminin.