Everything points to the 'God of Soccer'...Messi set to win eighth Ballon d'Or
Lionel Messi (36, Inter Miami) is set to win his eighth Ballon d'Or.
European soccer expert Fabrizio Romano announced on Tuesday (June 30) on his social media (SNS), "Messi will be announced as the Ballon d'Or winner. As expected, it will be Messi's eighth Ballon d'Or," he said, adding that "preparations for the ceremony in Paris are complete."
At the same time, Romano posted a composite photo of Messi seated on a throne, his left foot resting on the Ballon d'Or trophy. Messi has his FIFA World Cup trophy at his left side. He also has a stack of Ballon d'Or trophies next to his chair. 온라인카지노
The Ballon d'Or, which will be awarded on Nov. 31, is organized by France Football and voted on by soccer experts from around the world. Recognizing the world's best players, the Ballon d'Or reflects performance from year to year and season to season, starting last year. The period between August 2022 and July of this year will be evaluated.
Among the 30 finalists for this year's Ballon d'Or is South Korean Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich). He helped Napoli win the Serie A title and was named the league's best player. While it's hard to win the award, the mere fact that he was nominated was highly regarded.
All signs point to Messi winning the Ballon d'Or. Messi was at the top of his game at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which concluded in December, leading Argentina to the title and winning the Golden Ball as the tournament's MVP. He was expected to win the Ballon d'Or, as he was the only player to finish on top of the World Cup.
The only player who can match Messi is Elling Holland (23, Manchester City). Holland made his presence felt in City's triple treble (league, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League), finishing as the league's top scorer, but the weight of the World Cup doesn't compare.
"I understand the desire to announce the winner in advance, but you shouldn't always believe the rumors," Vincent Garcia, editor-in-chief of France Football, told Germany's Tass, when asked about Messi's chances of winning the award.
However, most European media outlets, including Romano, are reporting that Messi has won the award. "If the predictions are correct, Messi will win the Ballon d'Or for the eighth time," according to Spain's Sport.
Meanwhile, Messi's arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo (38, Al Nasr) is not on the shortlist for the first time since 2004.