Messi: “I think this will be my last Ballon d’Or”, sporting ‘battle’ with Cristiano and future players

Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or last Monday and once again wrote his name on another page of football history. He reflected on his new achievement after receiving the trophy, which is expected to be the last of its kind, He reflects on his historic rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo and talks about his favorite player of the future.

“I think it’s all my mentality, my desire to improve myself day by day and always want to try and achieve more. I’ve always said that I’m a person who likes to win and I don’t like to lose anything. I always compete hard and do the best I can, get ready for football and live it because I love it, because I love it, Because this is what I have dreamed of and wanted since I was a kid, I left it all in my career,”

Messi spoke to L’Equipe about the desire to compete he has had throughout his career.

There, he also recalled winning his first Ballon d’Or in 2009, when he was just 22: “The first one is being extremely happy to receive this award. It was also different to everyone because it wasn’t at a party like they do now, but on a TV show, which my brothers and I went to Paris to watch. “There weren’t as many other players as what happened later.”

Of course, amid all these comments also emerged the ever-present rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo for numerous Ballon d’Or awards: “It’s always a really good ‘battle’ in sport and I think we feed off each other because we’re both very competitive and he wants to beat everyone and everything. I think it’s a really good time for us and for people who love football.

“There’s a lot of merit to what we’ve been doing for so long. As they say, it’s “easy” to get there, but hard to stay.

We stayed at the top for 10, 15 years, I don’t know how long.It’s a hard thing to maintain “I think it will be spectacular and a great memory for everyone who loves football.”Leo added.

“Even though I’ve said it before, winning the Ballon d’Or has never been my priority, let alone now after everything I’ve achieved in my career and at another stage in my life. “I thought this would be my last Ballon d’Or and I’m happy to have achieved everything I’ve achieved and to be a player who has won eight Ballon d’Ors.” Leo noted that he thought this was his last trophy.

Along these lines, he dares to say who will be the most likely player to win the Ballon d’Or in the future: “I think there are several players who have been seen for many years and all the next ones could have a very good game Debate.” Year, Like the examples of (Erling) Haaland, (Kylian) Mbappe, Vinicius…

“There are a lot of young people who will put up a good fight for the next Ballon d’Or.”

“(Lamin) Yamal, now that he is young and has played for Barcelona and is a protagonist and very important, he might also be fighting for someone. And the players that are coming up because there are always good players. I think a very good phase is coming now. Enjoy it from the outside”, Leo is closed.