Former Chelsea midfielder, Craig Burley, has strongly recommended that Manchester City’s star striker, Erling Haaland, to boycott future Ballon d’Or ceremonies if he doesn’t win the Ballon d’Or award this year.
Haaland has emerged as one of the contenders among the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or, with the winner set to be announced in Paris on October 30.
However, Lionel Messi, a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, is widely seen as the one that might win the award.
Haaland is the one that deserves it
Messi’s recent triumph at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has only made him the best man for the award.
Nonetheless, Burley firmly believes that Haaland is the deserving candidate for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
“This award, like a few awards, drives me nuts but he’s the one that deserves it, but I think out there it will be full of sentimental claptrap – Messi won the World Cup, Messi’s this and Messi’s that, and they will just hand him another one.
And if I was Erling Haaland, I would never go back to another Ballon d’Or in my life, same as Robert Lewandowski,” Burley stated during his commentary on ESPN.
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Haaland beats Messi, De Bruyne to win UEFA Men’s Player of the Year
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland has won the UEFA Player of the Year award ahead of Kevin de Bruyne, and Lionel Messi.
The award recognizes remarkable accomplishments in European football during the previous season.
A panel of esteemed coaches and journalists chosen by European Sports Media thoughtfully picked the top three players from the 2022/23 season.
