“I’m quite pleased that Messi got it” - Ex-Manchester City captain explains why he wanted Lionel Messi to win FIFA Best Award ahead of Haaland
Former Manchester City captain Richard Dunne recently claimed that he was pleased to see Lionel Messi win the 2023 FIFA The Best Men's Player award over club superstar Erling Haaland. He felt the winners could not always be decided by the number of goals they scored in the calendar year.
Speaking to William Hill, Dunne said that Messi was a better footballer than Haaland and thus deserved the award. He said:
"It's very hard. You can look at it and go: 'Is Haaland the best footballer in the world? Probably not. Is he the best goalscorer? Yeah, so if the award is for that, then great'. I love watching Messi play football. There are players that play football that are just from a different planet at times. I look at Haaland and think he's unbelievable."
He added:
"You can put the ball anywhere in the box and he'll score, but is he going to dribble it round five players and nutmeg people and be an entertainer – which I think football should be – then it's no. I'm quite pleased that Messi got it because he's a joy to watch. If it's a statistical trophy, then the guys who score goals will always win it."
Lionel Messi also won the Ballon d'Or last year, the eighth time in his career.
Lionel Messi did not deserve the ward over Erling Haaland, claims Lothar Matthäus
German football pundit and former player Lothar Matthäus wasn't pleased that Lionel Messi was given the FIFA The Best Men's Player award for 2023. He believed that the Argentine was the best player over the last two decades but did not think 2023 was his year.
He said (via GOAL):
"He can't be the winner this time. If you look at the great successes, there is no way past Manchester City and - when choosing the best player - Erling Haaland. He won the most important titles with Man City, his strike rate was impressive. That should be be decisive when you choose the best and most important player - and that was Haaland."
Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland got 48 points each in the FIFA The Best voting but the Argentine took home the trophy as more national team captains voted for him.