Lothar Matthäus expresses his discontent as Argentina’s football legend, Messi, secures the FIFA Best Award without claiming significant victories in Miami…..
Lothar Matthäus, the esteemed German footballer who once won the Ballon d’Or, expresses his discontent with Lionel Messi being awarded the FIFA Best accolade for the 2023 season. According to Matthäus, Messi’s lack of triumph in significant competitions held in Miami undermines his eligibility for such an honor.
Lothar Matthäus expressed his opinion that Lionel Messi was not a deserving recipient of the FIFA Best Award. According to the former Ballon D’or winner, Messi’s performance in the 2023 calendar year did not warrant such recognition.
Matthäus, speaking to Sky Deutschland, expressed his belief that despite being regarded as the best footballer of the last two decades, Messi’s current stint in Paris and Miami, where he is generating a lot of attention, has not resulted in any significant titles. Consequently, Matthäus does not consider Messi as a potential winner of the 2023 FIFA Best award, as he believes other contenders like Erling Haaland have surpassed him due to their achievements in the 2023 season. This opinion is based on Messi’s transfer from Paris Saint Germain to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, following his successful tenure at FC Barcelona.
When considering the remarkable achievements, one cannot overlook Manchester City and, in terms of selecting the finest player, Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the most significant accolades with Man City, showcasing an impressive scoring record. This factor should play a crucial role in determining the best and most significant player, and Haaland undoubtedly fulfills that criteria,” emphasized Matthäus.
Matthäus believes that Haaland had a significantly better season in 2023 compared to Messi. He argues that Haaland’s contribution to Manchester City’s treble, along with his impressive goal tally of 28 in 36 games after the 2022 FIFA World Cup, surpasses Messi’s achievements. Despite being a fan of Messi, Matthäus feels that the award given to Messi is undeserved and highlights the importance of the World Cup. Haaland’s success includes winning the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, while Messi’s major trophies in 2023 were the Ligue 1 title with PSG and the Leagues Cup with Inter Miami. Although Haaland came second in the 2023 FIFA Best award, tying with Messi in votes but losing due to the Argentinian’s higher number of votes from national team captains.
