Lionel Messi reveals shock pick to win the Ballon d’Or, claims Lautaro Martinez "deserves it more than anyone"
Argentine icon Lionel Messi has made a surprise revelation about his predictions for the upcoming Ballon d’Or award. In an exclusive interview with TYC Sports, the 37-year-old claimed that teammate Lautaro Martinez is the one who "deserves the Ballon D’Or more than anyone".
This surprising statement comes on the back of Messi’s latest achievement, as he scored his 10th international hat-trick in Argentina’s 6-0 thrashing of Bolivia in World Cup qualifying. His impressive performance moved him level with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most hat-tricks in men’s international football.
When quizzed about his own chances of winning the Ballon d’Or, Messi humbly downplayed his own prospects, instead praising Martinez’s impressive form. "Lautaro deserves the Ballon D’Or more than anyone," Messi insisted. "He had a spectacular year, he scored a goal in the [Copa America] final, he was the top scorer in Copa America."
Martinez himself also weighed in on the matter, stating that while he didn’t think he necessarily deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, he felt he should be in the running. "I don’t know if I deserve to win the Ballon D’Or but after the spectacular year I had I deserve to be up there," he said.
Messi’s International Future: "A Kid Again"
In the same interview, Messi touched on his own national team career, hinting that it may be nearing its conclusion. "I didn’t set any date or deadline about my future," he revealed. "I’m just enjoying all this. I am more emotional than ever and taking all the love from the people because I know these can be my last games."
However, Messi remains committed to the national team, stating that he feels like "a kid again" among his younger teammates. "I find myself doing silly things because I feel so comfortable. As long as I maintain that feeling and can continue contributing to the team, I plan to be here enjoying [the national team]."
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