Lionel Messi snubs Jude Bellingham as he names quartet set for ‘beautiful’ Ballon d’Or rivalry
Lionel Messi has named four players he expects to compete in a “beautiful rivalry” for the Ballon d’Or over the next few years, but snubbed Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.
Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or in October having led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, finishing above Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in second and Paris Saint Germain star Kylian Mbappe in third, both of whom he believes have a good chance of claiming the gong this season or in the near future.
Hey, what about Jude?
Messi though didn’t include Bellingham as one of the potential winners despite his outstanding debut campaign for Real Madrid.
Messi told L’Equipe: “The players to compete for the Ballon d’Or in the coming years? There may be a very beautiful rivalry in the coming years with players like Haaland, Mbappe, Vinicius and many young players competing for the Ballon d’Or.
“I also think that Lamine Yamal, who is still very young and now plays for Barcelona, will play a prominent role and fight for it in the future too.
“Certainly there will be others competing for it, new players that we do not know will appear, because there are always new players, and I think it will be a very beautiful era to enjoy.”
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Bellingham has so far contributed 20 goals and nine assists in 31 appearances for Los Blancos, who sit top of LaLiga and have progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
“I have to pinch myself…”
The 20-year-old says he often can’t believe the level he’s already reached.
“I wake up and have to pinch myself when I’m playing [for] England at Wembley or Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. I’ve never dreamed of something like this so soon, but I’m grateful to everyone who has taken part in my journey,” Bellingham told Sky Sports.
“I try to go out on the pitch to do my job and help the team win games. People like my style of play. I move with the ball and that’s fine.
“I try to connect with the fans while I’m playing. I want the fans to feel like I’m another fan playing and representing them, because that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day.
“If they can look at me and see someone they feel reflected in and support us, then that helps to encourage the team as well. And their support means a lot to us, a lot more than you think.”
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