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Former Barcelona star Samuel Eto'o has backed Lionel Messi to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. The Cameroonian striker feels the PSG superstar is still the best player in the world and insists he has a "special love" for his former team-mate.
Eto'o joined Barcelona back in 2004 and his time at the club coincided with the meteoric rise of Messi. The duo enjoyed plenty of moments in a Blaugrana shirt and Eto'o considers Messi to be his little brother.
In an exclusive interview with Spanish publication MARCA, Eto'o opened up on his favorite to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or:
"Always Messi, who is like a little brother to me. I appreciate him very much as a person and as a player ... I watched him grow up and I have a special love for him. For me he is still the best in the world."
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Eto'o also suggested that he has developed a liking for Karim Benzema, who is also one of the contenders for the Ballon d'Or.
"If we remove Leo, there are others that I like, like Benzema. He is a player that I love. Cristiano has left and he has carried the equipment behind him."
The 2021 Ballon d'Or winner will be announced on November 29
France Football will hold the 2021 Ballon d'Or ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on November 29. Like always, 30 footballers have been shortlisted for the award in the men's category.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the most successful names on the list, which also comprises of new entrants like Jorginho and Mason Mount. The Ballon d'Or award is considered the highest individual accolade in world football and should Messi win it this year, he will take his tally to a record-extending seven times.
In addition to Eto'o, the likes of Memphis Depay, Ronald Koeman, Javier Zanetti and Gary Lineker have also backed Messi to win the Ballon d'Or this year. The Argentine netted 38 goals and registered 14 assists across all competitions in his final season for Barcelona.
In terms of silverware, Messi won the Copa del Rey before lifting his first major trophy with Argentina in the form of the Copa America. Despite his commendable achievements, Messi is expected to face stern competition from Robert Lewandowski in the race for the 2021 Ballon d'Or.
