Lionel Messi’s GOAT status questioned as France boss Didier Deschamps insists it’s ‘difficult’ to rank Inter Miami superstar ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe

• Messi bagged record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or
• Beat Haaland & Mbappe to the award
• Deschamps not convinced that he is the greatest

WHAT HAPPENED? The Argentine superstar played a crucial role in leading his nation to victory in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar beating Deschamp’s France in the final which crowned him as the best player on the planet for the eighth time in his career in Paris on Monday evening.

Messi has often been hailed as the greatest player of all time and winning the 2022 World Cup further bolstered those claims. Moreover, no other player comes close to the Argentine in terms of Ballon d’Or wins, with Ronaldo being a distant second with five wins and also failed to make it to the final 30 shortlist of this edition of the award. However, Deschamps isn’t convinced that the Inter Miami forward can be considered the greatest of all time as he ranks Ronaldo and Mbappe very highly and on the same pedestal.

WHAT THEY SAID: “The Argentinians [say that Messi is the best of all time]. He is one of them, but it is difficult to say that Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo or Kylian Mbappé, who is younger,” he told Futbol Picante on the sidelines of the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi beat Erling Haaland and Mbappe to the individual accolade despite the Norwegian bagging 52 goals in the previous season while guiding Manchester City to a historic treble. Whereas, Mbappe also had a stellar campaign as he bagged 55 goals for both club and country.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Messi is expected to return to club action in Major League Soccer (MLS) ahead of the new campaign in February with Inter Miami.