Messi is easily the GOAT, although I think Lewy should've won Ballon d'Or 2021. Stats from club competitions + internationals during calender year 2021 (from Transfermarkt) - Robert Lewandowski: 62 goals + 9 assists in 4346 minutes = 1.47 goal/assist per 90 - Erling Haaland: 44 goals + 15 assists in 3920 minutes = 1.35 goal/assist per 90 - Kylian Mbappe: 45 goals + 25 assists in 5277 minutes = 1.19 goal/assist per 90 - Karim Benzema: 41 goals + 13 assists in 4791 minutes = 1.02 goal/assist per 90 - Lionel Messi: 40 goals + 17 assists in 5180 minutes = 0.99 goal/assist per 90
Lionel Messi: "I especially want to thank the squad and the coaching staff of the Argentina national team. I was able to achieve the dream I wanted so much. In the end, it happened and this award is in large part of what we did at the Copa America. This is part of them."
Classy move by Leo to acknowledge Lewandowski as the winner of what should've been the 2020 Ballon d'Or
All respect to Lewa, but he only won a league title this year. Not even the DFB-Pokaj, which went to Dortmund. Scoring goals is a good measure of how good a striker is doing, but on a year that Messi won the Copa America (basically by his will), you're going to need more than what Lewa did
If it was based on G+Á Messi would've 9 Ballon's already. Since 2009, if the Balón D'or were based on G+A: 2009: Messi (56) 2010: Messi (58) 2011: Messi (77) 2012: Messi (104) 2013: Messi (76) 2014: Ronaldo (68) 2015: Messi (88) 2016: Suarez (81) 2017: Messi (72) 2018: Messi (63) 2019: Messi (71) 2020: Lewandowski (65)
ohhh, I know. Its unbelievable the hate Leo gets, and he is by far the nicest super start in the world. I am used to getting shade from all the haters, but not sure I understand the hate towards Messi. After Argentina won the the Copa, and during the WC qualifying, Argentineans have to hear all the hate from fellow South Americans. And we've all witnessed it, they all come HERE AND TALK CRAP TO US. The Chileans, Brazilian, even the Peruvians are getting frisky against us. And now we have some people coming over here to talk smack about Messi. All these haters punching the air. THE 2012 SEASON NUMBERS ARE FAKE!! THOSE CAN'T BE REAL, THEY CAN'T BE REAL. THEY SHOULD DELETE THEM FROM HISTORY BOOKS SO THAT OTHER PLAYERS CAN DREAM OF ONE DAY OWNING SINGLE SEASON RECORDS. . .
Jesus christ, I will never stop being astonished by that 2012 season. I mean all his seasons have consistenly been above and beyond to the point that we normalized it, but that year was freakish
You're right, but if you go to the forums here for some of the English clubs (Manu, predictably) are talking crap, and the German league forums are also saying the same. Bunch of haters- what ever. We have the greatest player in the history of soccer and the second greatest (ha ha)
Messi’s speech was on point. Messi's speech dubbed in English for those who missed it pic.twitter.com/mv0vJzZUQl— @MagicOfBarca backup (@MagicOfBarca_) November 29, 2021
I knew he'd win it because he's already clean shave in the latest match To me even if he dont win it, the Copa America victory in Brazil againts Brazil was already a bigger achievement. Also, number 7 must be a nightmare for CR and Brazil
Looks like the Argentinian FA and Napoli FC are trying to have a friendly in May in honor of Maradona https://www.ole.com.ar/seleccion/seleccion-napoli-maradona-cup_0_X6mxEebHs.html Wouldn't mind this against one of the favorites of Serie A.
That’s interesting, but would the clubs release the players considering it wouldn’t be an official FIFA match? A tentative May 24th date is before the Champions League final and just days after the end of Serie A/La Liga/Ligue 1’s conclusion. Besides the fact that the players will be exhausted from just finishing a season two days before the game, the clubs are under no obligation to release them even if their competitions are over. Or maybe they just plan on calling up a bunch of random Argentines, charity match style? Idk, the idea sounds fun and makes much more sense than that Barcelona-Boca commemorative match that’ll be happening in Saudi Arabia (so ********ing random), but I just don’t know how feasible it is..
Yeah it doesn't really make sense to me. This is something that should happen in a less congested part of the schedule.
. . . In my soccer WhatsApp thread (which I know everyone here has!!) one of my friends wrote, "wow, Argentina has 7 Ballon d'Or all from Messi, Spain has 2 Ballon d'Or from DiStefano and Italy has 1 Ballon d'Or from Omar Sivori" . . . I freaking hate that shit. These are ours! out of pure schadenfreude, I have been visiting other national forums to read what the English, Germans, Brazilians, etc are all saying about Messi winning the Ballon. . . Salt! nothing but salt from these people.