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Pep Guardiola has expressed his thoughts on Lionel Messi winning the 2021 Ballon d'Or ahead of Robert Lewandowski. The Manchester City boss insisted that one cannot say it is unfair that the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar won the award.
France Football announced Lionel Messi as the winner of this year's Ballon d'Or in Paris on Monday. The Argentina international beat Bayern Munich hitman Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho to win his seventh Ballon d'Or award.
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While Monday's ceremony proved to be a delightful one for Lionel Messi fans, many are not pleased with France Football's decision to overlook Robert Lewandowski this year. Several fans, pundits, journalists and former players took to social media to express their discontent following Monday's ceremony.
As the debate about who among Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski deserved to win the Ballon d'Or this year goes on, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has expressed his thoughts on the same. The Spaniard has had the privilege of managing both Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski at Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively.
Pep Guardiola has insisted one cannot say it is unfair that Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or this year. He also tipped his hat to women's Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas and Kopa Trophy winner Pedri. He said:
"Don't ask me about that, it is what is is. We can never say it's unfair that [Lionel] Messi wins the Ballon d'Or. It's a show, a nice business to make football more entertainment. A big compliment to Alexia [Putellas], Pedri, Leo", Guardiola told a press conference.
Bayern Munich hitman Robert Lewandowski could consider himself unlucky to have not won the Ballon d'Or. Many believe he deserved to win the award last year when France Football decided against handing out the accolade on the back of the pandemic.
Robert Lewandowski staked his claim to the Ballon d'Or award this year by breaking Gerd Muller's long-standing goalscoring record in the Bundesliga. Lionel Messi, though, has been deemed worthy of the award.
What Lionel Messi said about Ballon d'Or competition with Robert Lewandowski
Lionel Messi reserved praise for Robert Lewandowski after he won his seventh Ballon d'Or on Monday. The Argentinean admitted that the Bayern Munich star deserved to win the award last year.
The PSG superstar also explained that it was a pleasure to compete with the Poland international for the Ballon d'Or this time round. He said:
"It's been an honor to compete with Robert Lewandowski for the Ballon d'Or, he deserved to win the award last year."
It remains to be seen if Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski will battle it out for the Ballon d'Or again next year.
