Deschamps: 'Messi is not the greatest in history'

According to France national team coach Didier Deschamps, Cristiano Ronaldo and 24-year-old striker Kylian Mbappe are on par with Lionel Messi - the star who recently set a record by winning eight Ballon d'Or awards.

Messi may not have been outstanding at club level, but he won the 2023 Ballon d'Or thanks to his exceptional performances at the national team level. He scored seven goals, including a brace in the final against France, helping Argentina win the 2022 World Cup. Messi was also awarded the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball – the award for the best player of the tournament in Qatar 2022 – and has won the Man of the Match award five times.

Messi holds the record for winning eight Ballon d'Or awards: in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023. He also became the first player to win the Ballon d'Or while playing for a club outside of Europe. In the summer of 2023, the Argentinian star joined Inter Miami on a free transfer, contributing 11 goals and five assists in 13 games, helping the club win the League Cup but failing to qualify for the MLS championship play-offs.

However, French football legend Didier Deschamps believes that winning the 2022 World Cup and holding the record of eight Ballon d'Or awards does not make Messi the greatest player in history. According to the current French national team coach, Cristiano Ronaldo and even 24-year-old striker Kylian Mbappe are on par with the Argentinian star.

"Argentinian fans say Messi is the greatest player of all time. Messi is the greatest, but it's hard to say Messi is better than Ronaldo or Mbappe, who is younger," Deschamps told ESPN Deportes on October 31.

Deschamps encouraged Messi after his French team beat Messi's Argentina 4-3 in the Round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup. Photo: AFP — Deschamps encouraged Messi after his French team beat Messi's Argentina 4-3 in the Round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup. Photo: *AFP*

Haaland is the strongest contender for the 2023 Ballon d'Or title, competing with Messi after a sensational season with Man City. The Norwegian striker scored 52 goals in 53 matches across all competitions, helping Man City win a historic treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

However, that was only enough to put Haaland second in the 2023 Ballon d'Or race. Mbappe finished third after a successful season, contributing 54 goals and 13 assists in 56 games for both club and national team. He also had a stellar performance at the 2022 World Cup, winning the Golden Boot with eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final.

Ronaldo was not nominated for the 2023 Ballon d'Or, after a forgettable World Cup with only one goal. The Portuguese striker also no longer plays in Europe, having moved to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia on a free transfer in January 2023.

Before attending the 2023 Ballon d'Or awards ceremony at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris on October 30th, Deschamps predicted that Messi would win the award due to his success at the World Cup. "Messi deserves the Ballon d'Or this year, and he's very likely to win it. He had a fantastic World Cup, winning the tournament with Argentina," said the French national team coach.

Hong Duy

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