“Everyone that voted for Messi to win should be barred” - Pundit slams captains for backing Lionel Messi for 2023 FIFA The Best Men's Player award

ESPN pundit Janusz Michallik has blasted the captains who voted for Lionel Messi for the 2023 FIFA The Best Men's Player award. The Argentine superstar took home his second consecutive and third overall prestigious trophy, closely beating Manchester City's Erling Haaland.

Michallik suggested that the national team captains who voted for the 36-year-old should be stripped of their voting rights. It includes the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric and Mohamed Salah.

He said (via ESPN FC):

"Last season based on the entire year because he played such a vital role for Argentina, not just in winning it but obviously his play alone, we gave it to him. This year, I mean this is just crazy. I mean I couldn’t believe it in a way and I think we’re used to this right.”

"I didn’t lose any sleep over it but I’ll tell you what. Everyone that voted for Messi to win it should be barred from voting ever again really because that’s just nonsense.”

The votes from the national team captains proved critical as Lionel Messi and Haaland finished on the same number of points (48).

The award recognized the performances of players from December 19, 2022, to August 20, 2023. Compared to his lofty standards, Messi did not have the greatest of years. He managed just 24 goals in that period and was unable to lead Paris Saint-Germain to a Champions League title. Subsequently, he moved to Inter Miami in the summer where he fired them to a Leagues Cup triumph but their late playoff push failed.

Haaland, meanwhile, enjoyed a fantastic first season in England with Manchester City. The Norwegian scored over 50 goals in that period as City ended up winning a continental treble.

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German legend claims Lionel Messi did not deserve FIFA's The Best trophy over Erling Haaland

Former German national team captain Lothar Matthaus has suggested that Lionel Messi should not have won FIFA's The Best award over Erling Haaland. Speaking to Sky Deutschland, the Bayern Munich legend stated that the Argentine should not have won as he did not lift any major trophy.

He said:

“He can't be the winner this time. I think he was the best footballer of the last 20 years, but he has been in Paris and Miami, where he is now creating a hype, and not won any major titles.”

Messi won the Ligue 1 in the 2022-23 season with Paris Saint-Germain before winning the Leagues Cup with Inter Miami. He added to his tally of FIFA's The Best wins, having previously won in 2019 and 2022.

Matthaus suggested that Haaland was the more deserving winner after looking at the Norwegian's exploits for Manchester City. He bagged 52 goals and nine assists in 53 games across all competitions last season.