Lionel Messi is the favorite to win Ballon d’Or this year. Messi’s spectacular performance in the World Cup ended Argentina’s 36 years of drought as he brought the World Cup to his home country. There was immense appreciation for La Pulga from fans worldwide. However, PSG fans were not happy with Lionel Messi having won it against their home country. More recently the club’s president chose Kylian Mbappe over Lionel Messi for the prestigious award.
Messi understood the reason he wasn’t celebrated, unlike his teammates at PSG. This became more clear after he wasn’t given recognition for his World Cup win at the club level.
PSG fans favor Kylian Mbappe over Lionel Messi
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Tensions between the Paris club and Lionel Messi started to arise after Argentina’s World Cup win. There was a divide between the fan club since his arrival at the club. After PSG’s knockout in the Round of 16, the PSG management was swift to take a decision. In a recent interview, the President of PSG cleared the doubts about who he thinks is the best player in the world.
Nasser Al Khelaifi when asked who he thinks should win the Ballon d’Or said, “We have the best player in the world”. I think Kylian Mbappé deserves the Ballon d’Or.”
🇫🇷 PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi: “We have the best player in the world”.
“I think Kylian Mbappé deserves the Ballon d'Or”, says via RMC Sport. pic.twitter.com/qimIvYEqkX
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 24, 2023
Kylian Mbappe has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or but remains out of favor as a choice for the award. Even after having scored 3 decisive goals in the World Cup final, Erling Haaland is the second favorite to win the prestigious award this season.
Kylian Mbappe has received a lot of love from PSG fans since his arrival. But, a lingering fear resonates within the heart of the PSG fans over losing Mbappe. Who is yet to sign a contract extension with PSG, and the fear can soon turn into a reality. PSG management is doing everything in their power to save themselves from the nightmare.
PSG might end up losing Mbappe
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Mbappe has played an instrumental role in securing four league titles for the Paris side. He has consistently been the top scorer of the club for five years straight. However, recent developments suggest PSG might end up losing Mbappe. Mbappe has expressed his desire to make a move to Real Madrid. To ease his way out of the club, the French striker even turned down a contract extension from the Parisian club.
In an attempt to safeguard their interests, PSG struck a deal with Mbappe, which includes financial compensation should he ultimately depart. Nevertheless, PSG is leveraging this situation as motivation to clinch the coveted Champions League title, with Mbappe being a pivotal part of their strategy. The club had a strong start to the 2023-24 Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund. And this victory highlighted Mbappe’s importance for the club.
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As PSG undergoes a revamp following Lionel Messi’s departure, Mbappe remains a linchpin for the club’s future. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, his continued contributions underscore his significance to PSG’s aspirations.
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