Messi deems rivalry with Ronaldo epic; he's long unconcerned about Ballon d'Or.

Paritosh4444

Congratulations to the football legend Lionel Messi, who secured his eighth Ballon d'Or award yesterday. After winning the World Cup and his eighth Ballon d'Or, Messi, in an interview, expressed that his career is now without regrets. He aims to enjoy football as much as possible in the remaining years of his career and has no intention of competing for more Ballon d'Or awards.

In a detailed interview with the French newspaper L'Équipe, Messi discussed various topics, including his long-standing rival, Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi sees his rivalry with Ronaldo as an epic, as no other players in history have maintained their high-level competition for 15 years. He believes that his competition with Ronaldo is a beautiful memory for all who have witnessed it.

When asked about the possibility of winning a ninth Ballon d'Or, Messi made it clear that he hasn't considered such a goal for a long time. He emphasized that his career has already earned numerous honors more prestigious than the Ballon d'Or, and his eighth Ballon d'Or is just one of many achievements. He expressed pride in being the only player to have won eight Ballon d'Or awards, but for him, it's not the defining aspect of his career.

Messi also acknowledged that the future belongs to the younger generation, with talents like Haaland, Mbappé, and Vinícius engaging in long-lasting competition. There are even younger, yet-to-be-discovered talents who have the potential to compete for the Ballon d'Or. Messi is content to observe the arrival of a new era from an outsider's perspective.

Messi has undeniably reached the pinnacle of success, and his career is now free from regrets. We wish Messi a joyful and fulfilling conclusion to his remarkable football journey.

977Iti

Saying they don't care about winning the Ballon d'Or, I believe it's a bit of a playful statement. One says they don't care after winning it, while the other says the same after not winning. There's a subtle nuance here that most people should understand. It's a bit like people who've tasted grapes – those who have might say the grapes taste just okay and they don't really like them. Meanwhile, those who haven't tasted them might say the grapes are sour, and they also don't like them. But why do people all over the world enjoy eating grapes, or why do people in the football world covet the Ballon d'Or? In my opinion, Messi, having won the Ballon d'Or, expresses humility by saying he doesn't care about it. On the other hand, Ronaldo, having not won it, might feel envious but still says he doesn't care. So, in essence, there is a difference in their expressions of "not caring," and I wonder if others share my perspective?

Iti9

In the history of football, the last time we saw a dual dominance was back in the distant 1970s. It was then, with one from the Netherlands and the other from Germany, one being Cruyff and the other Beckenbauer, that a remarkable chapter in football history was written. Fast forward to the 21st century, initially, no one could have expected Messi and Ronaldo to rule football for 15 years. The Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards seemed tailor-made for these two players. Starting from 2010 and ending in 2023, several generations of world champions couldn't claim the highest individual honors precisely because of the presence of these two players. Messi finally won the World Cup, breaking that jinx. After all, it seems like the Ballon d'Or was created just for Messi. Before this, Messi had already won 7 of them, so he doesn't care much about it anymore. When you have so many, they lose their value to you. Moreover, Messi has already outshone Ronaldo in their competition. After winning the World Cup, Messi was truly crowned as the king of football. Perhaps, in this era, we witnessed the glory of the dual dominance and also witnessed the crowning of Messi as the king in the final years of his career. Since then, there won't be a parallel dominance of two players; there is only King Messi towering above, while Ronaldo plays the role of second-best in this era. It's unlikely that anyone will ever win 8 Ballon d'Or awards from now on. So, even if he doesn't care much, Messi is undoubtedly very proud. Even Ronaldo's five Ballon d'Or awards are something to be proud of, as no one had achieved that before. We are very fortunate to have witnessed the careers of these two great players.

Jiten171

Regardless of whether what he said is true or false, this kind of genuine attitude and mindset is very important.

Ritu13

Now, Messi is focused on his post-retirement path, and going to the MLS is a strategic move.

Yamini003

Yes, Messi has no regrets in this lifetime, and the Ballon d'Or situation doesn't have much impact anymore.