Lionel Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, has sparked excitement by revealing his top pick for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Lionel Messi, who is currently flourishing at Inter Miami, is still having a great effect on European football, and his views are still highly regarded.
Although the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner departed Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, he remains linked to that world, and he retains friendships with players he used to play with there.
Messi was recently quoted by Le10sport, and that has set social media ablaze in advance of the 2025 Ballon d’Or – they will likely meet for the first time on June 29, 2024, when PSG plays Messi and Inter Miami in the round of 16 at the Club World Cup.
Messi’s take on a present player has also generated debate about who might win the award.
This current player whom Messi heralds is Ousmane Dembelé, whom he played with in Barcelona and PSG.
Journalist Loïc Tanzi claims Messi and Dembelé have become close friends and stated that Messi considered Dembelé’s skills “extraordinary.”
Tanzi speculates that Messi probably favors Dembelé over rising talent Lamine Yamal at Barcelona for the Ballon d’Or because he appreciates their friendship and Messi recognizes Dembelé can display brilliance in crucial scenarios. Dembelé’s
Lionel Messi’s endorsement makes Dembélé’s case more interesting for the Ballon d’Or, especially since the former PSG player is competing against other talents like Barcelona’s Yamal and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
With Dembélé part of the PSG side that had just won the Champions League and also received the honor of being UEFA’s best player, Messi’s comments about the club’s time were added validation and may impact the decision for voters.
On the other hand, his praise of Dembélé maintains his relevance and influence even though he is on a different continent at the moment.
With the Club World Cup matchup upcoming, many people will be anticipating whether Dembélé is able to maintain Messi’s high praise and confirm he’s one of the best players in the world.
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