Barcelona Football club coach, Ronald Koeman has stated that Lionel Messi is the favorite for this year’s Ballon d’Or award.
Messi, recently accepted a major pay-cut to re-sign with Barcelona, and will continue that the club he has been with since he was a 12 year old.
In July he won the Copa America with Argentina after defeating Brazil in the finals.
Chelsea’s Jorginho who won the Champions League with Chelsea and the Euro 2020 cup with Italy is a surprise contender for the award .
With big name players Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski, Kevin De Bruyne and Champions league winner N’golo Kante not winning a trophy with their country this summer even though they won domestic titles, Koeman believes Messi is favorite to win the Ballon D’Or award.
“Messi is crucial for our game, he’s the captain and an example,” said Koeman to Barca TV.
“His efficiency last season was huge after a start to the season made complicated by his situation, but once again he showed he was the best player in the world.
“(Winning the Copa America is) hugely important because I know how much he wanted that after so many years without winning with his national team. As the best in the world he’s used to winning things and in the end he got what he was fighting for.
“He’s the main candidate for the Ballon d’Or for the great season he had and winning the Copa America. For me, he’s the top favourite to win it.”
