Michael

🚨Carlo Ancelotti on Lionel Messi's chances of winning the 2026 Ballon d'Or: 🗣️Reporter: “Carlo, Messi is 39, and he's competing against players like Mbappé, Haaland, Vinícius Jr. and Lamine Yamal. Do you genuinely believe he can win it?” 🎙️Carlo Ancelotti: “Look, I'll be honest with you. I believe Messi deserves it, but I don't believe they will give it to him. And there's a difference between deserving an award and actually receiving it. What happened at the World Cup is a good example. In my opinion, Messi was the better individual player, yet Rodri received the Player of the Tournament award. I respect Rodri. He's a fantastic midfielder, and I understand what he brings to a team. But when I look at Messi's individual performances, I ask myself: what more did people expect him to do? At some point, we have to stop judging players by their age and start judging them by what they actually do on the pitch.” “Now, when we talk about the Ballon d'Or, people will look at Mbappé, Haaland, Vinícius and Yamal and say they're in their prime, so surely one of them should win it. But why? If Messi performs better, why should being 39 count against him? Does football suddenly become less valuable when you're older? I've seen great players throughout my career, and what separates the special ones is how they understand the game. Messi can receive the ball with three opponents around him and see a pass nobody else has imagined. You cannot measure that kind of football intelligence with age.” 🗣️Reporter: “You're a Cristiano Ronaldo fan. Does it surprise people when you speak about Messi like this?” 🎙️Carlo Ancelotti: “Maybe, but I don't understand why. I can admire Cristiano without pretending Messi isn't extraordinary. Cristiano has achieved incredible things. His goalscoring, mentality and longevity are remarkable. But being a fan doesn't mean you have to deny what your eyes can see. I don't need to disrespect Cristiano to recognise Messi's greatness, and I don't need to disrespect Messi to appreciate Cristiano. That's the problem with football debates today. Sometimes people become so attached to their favourite player that they forget to enjoy the game itself.” “If Messi wins the Ballon d'Or at 39, it will be historic. But I don't want him to win because of his name or his age. I want him to win because of his performances. And if his performances are the best, then give him the award. Don't tell me Messi is too old to be the best. Tell me somebody played better than him. That's a football argument. His age is not.”