Haaland or Messi for Ballon d'Or? Guardiola's Dilemma as Their Former Coach

Shri0001

The winner of this year's Ballon d'Or is about to be announced. With Messi successfully leading his team to World Cup victory, he has become the frontrunner for this year's Ballon d'Or. However, he faces strong competition from the young superstar Haaland, who led Manchester City to a historic treble. As the coach who has worked with both Messi and Haaland, Guardiola finds himself in a dilemma.

Known for his admiration of Messi, Guardiola has often hailed him as the greatest player in history, stating that Messi is on a completely different level from any other player and deserving of all praise. On the other hand, Haaland is currently his star player at Manchester City, helping Guardiola secure his second treble in his coaching career. So, for Guardiola, the choice between Messi and Haaland is a matter of the present and the past. When asked by the media whom he supports for the Ballon d'Or, Guardiola jokingly suggested that the award should be split in two, calling it an epic water-carrying feat.

After Messi's World Cup win, Guardiola couldn't resist praising Messi once more, stating, 'Even in Messi's worst season, it's better than the best season for other players. But Messi won the World Cup, so he truly deserves the Ballon d'Or.' However, Guardiola later changed his tune, saying, 'This time, no matter who wins, they both deserve it. In fact, I'd prefer Haaland to win because he has helped us achieve our current success, and I love it.'

In the end, Guardiola expressed pride in having the opportunity to see the finest players compete for the award, and he believes that regardless of whether Messi or Haaland wins, he will offer his sincere and heartfelt congratulations. As for whom you support to win the championship, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Prem55555

I feel like Pep Guardiola leans more towards Haaland. After all, it has been quite a few years since he worked with Messi, and their connection might have faded a bit. In contrast, the dynamic with Haaland is different. They are currently working together exceptionally well. I believe Guardiola would prefer Haaland to win the Ballon d'Or.

Samiksha

Guardiola definitely can't openly say, "I support Messi," so he has to be polite and mention Haaland. However, looking at the overall performance and leadership in leading the team, the Ballon d'Or truly belongs to Messi. Although I'm a fan of Haaland, on this award, I can't think of anyone who can compete with Messi.

977Iti

"Guardiola probably doesn't mind either way. He'd be happy if Messi wins, and he'd be fine if Haaland does. The Ballon d'Or for this year includes performances from the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and traditionally, the Ballon d'Or winner in a World Cup year is often a World Cup champion. Therefore, Messi's claim to the Ballon d'Or is virtually uncontested. Messi's World Cup performance was remarkable, and while PSG may not have had much success in the Champions League last season, they did secure the French Ligue 1 title. With the World Cup champion's boost, Messi is the clear favorite for this year's Ballon d'Or. Haaland doesn't stand much of a chance.

However, this is likely Messi's last chance. In the future, Haaland's competition may not be as strong, and as long as he performs well and secures heavyweight championships, he still has a chance to win the Ballon d'Or."

Ritu13

Making a choice between the two is really tough!

Isha000

I also believe there's no doubt that the Ballon d'Or will be awarded to Messi. Aside from the Ballon d'Or, there's also the FIFA Best Men's Player award, which doesn't include the 2022 World Cup. With Manchester City's treble under his belt, Haaland has a strong case for this award. He's scored the most goals and won the most titles, so I believe this year's FIFA Best Men's Player award belongs to Haaland. This could also be the first world-class individual honor for a player born in the 2000s, which Haaland can be proud of.

So, Messi winning the Ballon d'Or and Haaland winning the FIFA Best Men's Player would be very fair, in my opinion.

Yamini003

It feels like Guardiola leans more towards Haaland, considering he's his protege, but he just doesn't dare to say it so openly on camera.