Former Chilean national team forward Mauricio Pinilla expressed his anger at the Ballon d’Or being awarded to achievements achieved at the end of the entire season, and stated that he believed that Argentine forward Lionel Messi received this award only because he won the World Cup in Qatar. Pinilla quotes the words ESPN.
“If you win the Ballon d’Or in MLS, we would either all be crazy, or MLS has become a world-class power. The World Cup decided everything. But if only one tournament is important, I don’t understand why we give awards all year long. I don’t think Messi was the best ” said Pinilla.
On October 30, Messi won the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time.
Messi became world champion with Argentina in December 2022. The striker was transferred to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 after playing for French Paris Saint-Germain for two years. On August 20, the Argentinian won the League Cup, the first trophy in America. After 14 matches for Inter Miami, Messi scored 11 goals and 5 assists.
Messi before named the goal that became his most memorable goal.