5 things Lionel Messi needs to do to win the 2022 Ballon d'Or
In November 2021, Lionel Messi was awarded a record-extending seventh Ballon d’Or for his exceptional performances throughout the calendar year. Messi could not help his former club Barcelona to the league title or the Champions League, but he was at his best for Argentina.
He put in multiple man-of-the-match performances and scored four goals to lead his country to Copa America glory. Argentina’s continental triumph marked their first major trophy since the 1986 World Cup.
At 34, Messi should biologically be in the twilight of his career. However, considering the way the Paris Saint-Germain star is performing and his sky-high ambitions, it isn’t premature to call him a contender for the 2022 Ballon d’Or.
It won’t be straightforward, but we believe the seven-time winner will be able to extend his tally if he manages to fulfill certain objectives.
Here are the top five things Lionel Messi needs to do to win the Ballon d’Or in 2022:
#5 Win Golden Boot in the UEFA Champions League
To win the Ballon d’Or, it is important for Lionel Messi to lean on his goalscoring attributes and outscore his rivals. The Rosario-born superstar was not at his imperious best for Barcelona in the Champions League over the last couple of seasons.
In the 2019-20, Messi only netted three goals in eight appearances. The following campaign, he scored five times in six matches.
Messi has dominated football in a way no one can ever imagine 🐐 https://t.co/1iDb7hqVdq
Since joining PSG last summer, the Argentina skipper has thankfully rediscovered his knack for scoring in Europe. The PSG no.30 has already scored five goals in the Champions League this season and is expected to eventually touch double digits.
Ajax’s Sebastien Haller is currently the leading goalscorer in the premier European competition this season, with 10 strikes in six games. Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski is a close second with nine goals.
#4 Inspire Argentina to reach at least the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
2022 is a World Cup year, meaning players have the opportunity to pull ahead in the Ballon d’Or race with impressive performances at the showpiece event in Qatar.
Fresh off their Copa America triumph, Argentina will fancy going deep into the competition to replicate their heroics of 2014. The South Americans narrowly missed out on the ultimate prize eight years ago, losing to Germany in the final.
Lionel Messi 2017/18
5th in Ballondor rankings....
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Their skipper, Lionel Messi, will once again be the man in focus and could reap the rewards if La Albiceleste reach the semi-finals or higher.
The Copa America champions finally have a team to contend for the ultimate prize, and Lionel Messi would surely try his best to make the opportunity count.