Ballon d’Or: Messi, the new controversy

It is an understatement to say that the Ballon d’Or France Football has lost its splendor for many years. The winner is now nominated by 170 international journalists, while the trophy created in 1956 had won its letters of nobility by entrusting his election to a committee of around twenty European experts. Thus, the 7th coronation of Lionel messi, Monday evening, disappointed many enthusiasts.

The Kopa Trophy, created in 2018 by the French magazine, to honor the best player under 21, is not to be outdone. Pedri, the midfielder of Barça and the Spanish Seleccion, was crowned without much surprise. The jury made up of the still-living Ballons d’Or gave 2nd and 3rd places to the prodigious Jude Bellingham (Dortmund) and Jamal Musiala (Bayern). But the 4th place of Nuno mendes has something to surprise.

Pedri in 1, Nuno Mendes in 2

At the same time, Messi, if he obviously chose his former young friend of the Blaugranas, placed his teammate in the PSG Nuno Mendes in 2nd position, ahead of Bellingham. An unjustified sporting choice. Explosive with Sporting, the Portuguese left-back has shown significant defensive deficiencies since his arrival in the French capital last summer. Juan Bernat is a much more reliable option in this position.

Nuno Mendes’ 4th place is astonishing, all the more so as the neo-Parisian was well ahead of Bukayo Saka and Mason Greenwood who shone much more at the high level. And this, for two years in the Premier League. France Football had he asked his Ballons d’Or to follow football a little and to vote in a fair way? It seems not, at the sight of Lionel Messi’s top 3 …

Messi’s votes for the Kopa Trophy:
1- Pedri
2- Nuno Mendes
3- Bellingham

(Sport)

– News – Barça (@ActualiteBarca) December 2, 2021

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