Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has endorsed Lionel Messi's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or over Erling Haaland, even though he could not conceal his disappointment about France's loss in the World Cup final.
The Inter Miami forward is the frontrunner to secure the prestigious annual award this year, thanks to his historic performances at the tournament in Qatar. Messi achieved world champion status for the first time in his career after a remarkable run of six goals en route to lifting the renowned gold trophy.
Despite the iconic winger breaking French hearts on that night, his former club teammate Henry has acknowledged that he deserves recognition for his achievements. Henry confidently predicts that Messi will claim the Ballon d'Or at the ceremony in Paris on October 30, expressing unwavering support for his former Barcelona colleague.
During an interview on CBS Sports, Henry left no room for doubt regarding Messi's prospects this year, stating: "I mean a lot of people can debate that but for me if you win the World Cup, the way he did it, we can talk about what happened in the final. As a Frenchman, I was a little bit disappointed with how it finished but you can't say that it isn't deserved if he wins it."
During a career-defining tournament, Messi inspired his teammates after a humiliating loss against Saudi Arabia in their opening game to reach the final in Lushail. From there, Argentina and France contested a memorable final, with La Albiceleste winning a dramatic match that ended 3-3 in extra time.
His two goals in the final were part of a virtuoso performance by Messi, and he scored the opening penalty for his team in the decisive shootout. He also received the Golden Ball for his performances in Qatar, becoming the first Argentina captain to lead the team to glory since Diego Maradona.
He faces stiff competition for the title of the best player on the planet this year, with Manchester City's Haaland also a strong candidate for the award. Remarkably, the Norwegian striker scored 52 goals last season as the Cityzens achieved a historic Treble.
As expected, the ex-Borussia Dortmund sensation is not devoid of his own supporters in the race to outshine Messi and claim the Ballon d'Or this year, following a remarkable season. While speaking on the Footballers' Footballer Podcast, Newcastle forward Callum Wilson cautioned against underestimating the talents of the City star, stating: "What [Erling] Haaland did last season can't be overlooked.
"If you take away international football and compare statistically. Haaland should win the award. You can't look past Messi winning his first World Cup as it's a big contributing factor, but club football-wise he's been playing in America which is very different to Haaland in the Premier League."
The England international was joined by West Ham forward Michail Antonio, who also lent his support to Haaland's bid for the individual honour. Antonio added: "I agree with Callum.
"I understand Messi winning the World Cup is massive, but you can't look past a treble-winning team and what Haaland bought to that, breaking records. He deserves that Ballon d'Or. If he doesn't get it then it's a scandal."