Argentine star Lionel Messiseven times awarded and winner of the prize in the last edition, does not appear in the list of 30 candidates for the Ballon d’Or 2022, revealed this Friday.
His Brazilian teammate from Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar, Nor is he among those selected in an edition in which the Frenchman seems to be the favorite Karim Benzema for his great 2021-2022 season with Real Madrid.
Why isn’t Messi here and Cristiano Ronaldo is?
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The absence of Messi
The non-presence of Messi among the candidates is a great milestone, since the Argentine was among the candidates for the Ballon d’Or since 2006 and has been on the podium almost without interruption since 2007, except in the 2018 edition.
The ‘Flea’ (35 years old), like Neymar, comes from a complicated 2021-2022 season with Paris Saint-Germain, in which the Argentine, who joined the French team from Barcelona last August, signed 11 so many, taking into account all the competitions.
Apparently, the low individual effectiveness condemned the inclusion of Messi in the nominees.
“His first year in Paris was marked by disappointment”pointed out the French newspaper ‘L’Equipe’ in an analysis of Messi’s absence.
“Only six goals in Ligue 1. An unusual lack of success, 14 assists, certainly, but an unpleasant impression that part of Leo had stayed in Barcelona, his frequency of strides, his determination, his irresistible side”, added the prestigious newspaper.
“By combining a truncated physical preparation after the Copa América, long trips to South America, the Covid that he contracted and various sores that deprived him of continuity, he missed his adaptation to PSG and, therefore, his appointment with the prestigious annual award”, concluded L’Equipe.
Messi, excited about the Qatar-2022 World Cup (November 20-December 18), who will play with Lionel Scaloni’s Albiceleste, seems more adapted and started the new season well, with a double in the first day of the French league, the Last Saturday in Clermont-Ferrand (PSG triumph 5-0).
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Ronaldo’s presence
The figures say that ‘CR7’ played 38 games during the 2021-2022 season.
In them, he scored 24 goals and gave three assists. 18 cries were in the Premier League, in which his team, Manchester United, finished in sixth place.
Ronaldo was left out of the Champions League in the round of 16. Atlético de Madrid eliminated their Manchester.
“At 37, CR7 is no longer constantly creepy. But, since September, the Portuguese has led the number of goals scored in the national team (117, now), ahead of the Iranian Ali Daei (109)”says ‘L’Equipe’.
What is perhaps striking is that Ronaldo’s goals have been of great value to the English club. In addition, counting the games with Portugal, he has scored 32 goals in 49 appearances.
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