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Messi wins Ballon d’Or, deserving or another marketing stunt?

Messi wins Ballon d’Or, deserving or another marketing stunt?

  • Stefano Agresti
Lionel Messi has won the sixth Ballon d’Or of his career on Monday night in a grand ceremony in Paris and became the first player to do so in the history of the game.

Here the question is whether he truly deserve the award this time around or not? And the answer is subjective to everyone’s perception of the impact of a certain player in that very season.

For the most part of last decade, it was either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo who emerged victorious in the battle for the best player of the year award.

However, with both now well into their 30’s, their performances graph has dipped and it can be questioned how either of them would’ve been a worthy winner ahead of someone from European champions Liverpool.

Messi’s talent is unquestionable and his form last season was incredible as well but his closest rival on Monday night was Liverpool’s defender Virgil Van Dijk, who not only helped the team in improving defensively which eventual led to their UEFA Champions League triumph but also guided his national team Netherlands to the final of the UEFA Nations League.  

Not only he but goalkeeper Alisson Becker had a fantastic year as well where he played a pivotal role in helping both Liverpool and his national team Brazil in lifting a major trophy.

It is understandable that both Messi and Ronaldo are more marketable compared to Van Dijk or Alisson, but with both of them coming to the twilight of their career, will this trend of rewarding star forwards with such awards continuous? Only time will tell.

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