Argentina captain Lionel Messi feels that Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema should win Ballon d’Or this year for his impressive show last season where he helped his team to win LaLiga and UEFA Champions League. Messi, who is a record seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, clinched the golden ball last time pipping Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski. Interestingly, last year also Messi voted for Benzema as his third choice after Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Messi has played against Benzema a lot during his stint with Barcelona and last season also the two star forwards clashed in the UEFA Champions League where Real Madrid emerged victorious.
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Messi admitted that Benzema had a sensational year and emphasized on his UCL performances to back him for the Ballon d’Or.
“I think there are no doubts Benzema should win Ballon d’Or,” Messi told TyC Sports. “It is very clear that Benzema had a spectacular year and ended up elevating himself with the Champions League, being essential from the last 16 onwards in all the games. I think there are no doubts this year.”
Last year, when Messi won the coveted trophy he mentioned Lewandowski named in the speech and said the Bayern striker deserved it a year before. However, Lewandowski responded it by terming it as “empty words” but later said he was misinterpreted and clarified that Messi’s words “really touched” him.
Messi also talked about Lewandowskithe’s ’empty words’ claim and said his words were spoken from the heart during Ballon d’Or ceremony and he don’t care if the Poland striker took it wrong way.
“Everyone says what they want and obviously he can express himself and say what he wants,” he said. “I honestly don’t share what he said but I didn’t give it much importance either. That’s it, it was there and he can say what he wants and I do not care.”
“The words I said to Lewandowski were spoken from the heart. I said he deserved the Ballon d’Or 2020. For me he was the best that year, but he can think what he wants,” he added.
The Argentine further talked about getting booed by the PSG fans after they got eliminated from UCL by Real Madrid last season in the round of 16.
“It was new for me, it’s a different situation. It had never happened to me in Barcelona but quite the opposite. The situation of the people and the anger for the players we had, for the team we were and because another year [went without a Champions League title], the anger is understandable. The Real Madrid thing killed us. To me, to the entire dressing room in general, to all of Paris,” he concluded.
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