Lionel Messi has been informed that he is the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner by family friend Alessandro Dossetti.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner was widely tipped to win his eighth Ballon d’Or on October 30. It appears that he may have been told that he received the award from a close friend.
Dossetti claimed Messi would beat Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to the award. They said (via AlbicelesteTalk):
“Lionel Messi said today that he is the winner of the 2023 Ballon d’Or.”
The 36-year-old is having an incredible time finally winning the World Cup. The Argentine icon did it in style, scoring seven goals and three assists in seven games. He also received the Ballon d’Or award for his performances in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi has also been in great form for Paris Saint-Germain. He scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists in 41 games across all competitions to win his second Ligue 1 title.
The closest rival to the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner this year seemed to be Manchester City superstar Haaland. The Norwegian has been in sensational form since moving to the Etihad in the summer of 2022. He finished as the top scorer in the Premier League (36 goals in 35 games) and the UEFA Champions League (12 in 11).
Haaland was vital as the Cityzens won the continental treble, but he appears to have missed out on the Ballon d’Or for Lionel Messi.
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