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Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole has backed Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or this year. The Argentine maestro is already the recipient of the prestigious Ballon d'Or award seven times and last won it in 2021.
Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole was asked whether Marcus Rashford was possibly in the running for the individual award. However, Cole claimed that the Englishman will not be in the race for the Ballon d'Or even if he manages to sustain his form until the end of the season.
The former England striker has claimed that Champions League and World Cup success play a crucial role in deciding the winner of the most prestigious individual accolade.
Cole has backed Lionel Messi to win the coveted award for the eighth time in his career due to his FIFA World Cup triumph with Argentina. He also insisted that Kylian Mbappe could provide his PSG teammate with strong competition. Cole told Best Sports Betting Canada:
“Marcus Rashford won’t be competing for the Ballon d’Or even if he kept his form until the end of the season. We all know who will be winning the Ballon d’Or."
"The Ballon d’Or is usually based on Champions Leagues and in this instance, World Cups. If Lionel Messi does not win the Ballon d’Or for finally winning the World Cup for Argentina, I’d be very surprised, but Kylian Mbappe has a chance too.”
Lionel Messi has been exceptional for PSG this season, scoring 16 goals and providing 14 assists in 27 games across competitions.
Kylian Mbappe has been excellent as well with 27 goals and six assists in 28 games, while Rashford has been in the form of his life. The Manchester United forward has scored 24 goals and produced nine assists in 36 games across competitions.
PSG set date for Lionel Messi contract talks amid Barcelona interest
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Lionel Messi will reportedly hold negotiations on a contract extension in the month of March.
According to TyC journalist Gaston Edul (via @AlbicelesteTalk on Twitter), the two parties will speak following their upcoming clash against Bayern Munich. The French champions will take on the Bundesliga champions in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash on March 8, 2023.
Spanish journalist Gerard Romero (via @BarcaUniversal on Twitter) reported on Tuesday (February 21) that Barcelona have contacted Messi regarding a comeback. However, further reports by Edul (via @BarcaUniversal) suggested that the Argentine superstar is only negotiating with PSG at the moment.
