"Penaldo PR working overtime" "Stupidity at its peak" - Fans outraged as Lionel Messi lands at #4 in 2023 Ballon d'Or Power Rankings

Fans are outraged as Lionel Messi was placed fourth in OneFootball's 2023 Ballon d'Or's power rankings.

Messi, 36, has enjoyed a year to remember that saw him finally achieve his dream of winning the FIFA World Cup. The Argentine hero conjured up a captivating performance in Qatar, scoring seven goals and providing three assists in seven games.

The legendary forward was also in scintillating form for Paris Saint-Germain, bagging 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 games across competitions. He bowed out of the Parc des Princes as a two-time Ligue 1 champion.

However, Lionel Messi's exploits haven't seen him break the top three of OneFootball's Ballon d'Or power rankings. He has ranked fourth, which has surprised fans given his phenomenal past year.

Messi sits above Vinicius Junior, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Rodri, Victor Osimhen and Jude Bellingham in the rankings. This could suggest that his former teammate Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City's treble winners Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne are above him.

The Argentine legend has said that he doesn't care about individual awards anymore at this stage of his career. He's just glad to have finally fulfilled his dream of winning the World Cup:

"Does Ballon d’Or matter to me? No, at this stage in my life, it is no longer important to me. I’ve always said, the individual prizes are not what matters to me, but the collective ones are the most important to me.

"The most important prize at the moment is the World Cup. This is the greatest prize for me."

However, fans have hit out at the Ballon d'Or power rankings, with one labelling it as stupidity:

"This is stupidity at its peak."

Fan labels Messi's placing as stupidity.

Another thinks Messi's longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo's PR team is behind his low ranking:

"Penaldo PR working overtime."

Fan namedrops Ronaldo in reaction to Messi's ranking.

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Ronaldo Nazario backs Lionel Messi to win Ballon d'Or

Ronaldo Nazario tips Lionel Messi for the Ballon d'Or.

Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario has backed Lionel Messi to win a record eighth Ballon d'Or in October. The Argentine is the all-time record holder and is two above his arch-nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi's excellent performances at the World Cup and winning the tournament have led many to predict that he will come out triumphant. Ronaldo Nazario shares those sentiments (via The Huffington Post):

"Messi deserves to win the Ballon d’Or. I think he will be crowned. He won the World Cup, which is a very big tournament."

The legendary forward had failed to win the World Cup with Argentina on four occasions before last year. He also finished with the tournament's Golden Ball award and won four Man of the Match awards, which was the most of any player.