Pep Guardiola explains the reason why Messi could win the Ballon d'Or instead of Haaland

The Ballon d'Or 2023 will be awarded this Monday, October 30 in France, where the two great candidates to win it are precisely Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland. The Argentine arrives as a candidate after winning the 2022 World Cup with his National Team. While Haaland won everything with his club, Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. However, the latest reports suggest that it will be the Argentine who wins the Ballon d'Or.

Lionel Messi is close to winning his eighth Ballon d'Or. The Argentine striker is gradually placing himself among the main candidates to win this competition. However, things with PSG were not the best, despite the fact that he won Ligue 1 with his team. However, he failed to win the Cup and the UEFA Champions League. Given this situation, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola is already speaking about it.

Speaking of the Norwegian, in the mixed zone after a Manchester City match a few weeks ago, Pep Guardiola was asked about who will win the Ballon d'Or, an award that will be awarded next Monday in Paris and in which two of his great pupils, Haaland and Leo Messi, along with Kylian Mbappé, are identified as the favorites to succeed Karim Benzema, winner of the award last year.

What did Pep Guardiola say about Messi and Haaland?

"I have a lot of affection for both of them, if Messi wins it is fair for the World Cup and unfair for Erling because of the season he had, and if Erling wins it is fair for him and unfair for Leo, they would have to give two, I imagine this year, because the "two deserve it, no one is going to take away the excellent season they have had. However, Messi won the World Cup," Guardiola commented for Paramount +. Lionel Messi made history in Qatar 2022, he led Argentina to its third star, he became the only player to score a goal in each and every phase of the World Cup.