There isn’t any individual award in football more prestigious than the Ballon D’Or, and every year, in the weeks leading up to it, pundits, players and fans engage in heated debates—unless there’s a clear cut winner—over who should win it. Last year, Pep Guardiola did not hesitate before labeling Lionel Messi as the clear winner, but this year, he simply cannot care.
In 2023, Messi won his record eighth Ballon D’Or trophy, thanks to a stellar FIFA World Cup campaign held in 2022. This result was decided despite Manchester City’s Erling Haaland being the top scorer of the Premier League, and winning a treble with the Cityzens — Guardiola’s club.
The battle seemed set between Haaland and Messi, but Guardiola chose his former player over his current star— by maintaining a somewhat neutral stance.
✨ Pep Guardiola on Ballon d’Or: “I’ve great affection for Messi and Haaland”.
“If Messi wins, it will be fair win because of the World Cup. If Haaland wins, it will be fair to the season he had”.
“They should give two awards this year! They both deserve to win”, told SC. pic.twitter.com/rvGnSvCujR
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 29, 2023
This decision could be seen as either an act of betrayal or a display of pure, unbiased truth—nothing in between.
In 2024, however, Brazilian superstar Vinicius Junior remains the clear favorite to win the Ballon d’Or on October 29th. There were talks of Manchester City’s Rodri being in contention, as well as Vini’s Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham. But after his stellar start to the 24/25 season, the debate seems settled.
When asked about his pick this year, however, Pep Guardiola said, “I don’t care one one second about the Ballon D’Or”.
Perhaps Guardiola has changed his stance on individual awards, or maybe this year, with none of his players in serious contention, the Ballon d’Or holds less significance for him. Still, his recent comments were surprising, especially given his previous support for Messi’s victories in past years.
