Days After $1.7 Million Controversy, Former Ballon d?Or Winner Welcomes Lionel Messi to Exclusive 9-Member ?Triple Crown? Club

Lionel Messi is making rounds in recent times. His Saudi Arabia trip attracted controversy as PSG claimed the Argentine traveled without permission. The Parisians suspended Messi for two weeks, with his salary of $1.7 million also deducted. However, the PSG superstar apologized, and the club reinstated him in the training activities.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is also subject to several transfer speculations. Meanwhile, Brazilian legend has welcomed the Argentine to an exclusive club amid all these speculations and controversy. Let us take a look at what exclusive club is about and how Messi has made it.

Ricardo Kaka welcomed Lionel Messi

We can safely say Lionel Messi completed soccer after Argentina won the FIFA World Cup last year. PSG superstar won it all with the club and country. He also won all the coveted honors on an individual level. Former Ballon d’Or winner Ricardo Kaka recently posted a story on his Instagram welcoming the Argentine wizard to the elite?Triple Crown?club. Only nine soccer superstars, including Messi, are part of this exclusive club.

Triple Crown?club comprises those players who have won FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Ballon d’Or awards. Kaka himself is a part of this elite list. The Brazilian won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002, Ballon d’Or, and the Champions League in 2007. On the other hand, Messi is a multiple Champions League and Ballon d’Or winner. The only trophy that was missing from his cabinet was the World Cup.

Messi inspired Argentina to World Cup glory with his brilliant display and entered the?Triple Crown?list. Messi is currently focused on the last few games with PSG. The decision over his future is still unknown and is expected to come after the season ends.

Let us take a look at other players in the?Triple Crown?list.

Players on the?Triple Crown list

Apart from Kaka, two Brazilians make the list, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo. French legend Zinedine Zidane also makes a list with Paolo Rossi, Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer, and Sir Bobby Charlton. Lionel Messi is in some elite company here. His compatriot and Argentine legend Diego Maradona and Brazilian legend Pele miss out on the list.?

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Pele and Maradona were not eligible for the Ballon d’Or award as it became open to players outside Europe after their retirement. Messi’s arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo to miss the list for not winning the World Cup. Messi is the only player with Beckenbauer on the list with multiple Ballon d’Or awards.?

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Who do you think will make the list next??