‘Surprised’ France Boss Didier Deschamps Makes U-Turn on Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or Win

Lionel Messi made history by claiming his 8th Ballon d’Or to leapfrog three places above Cristiano Ronaldo. However, it seems like not everyone agrees with the judgment. French manager Didier Deschamps was one of the few individuals to short-sell La Pulga’s triumph during one of his interviews. However, Deschamps has taken a stark U-turn on his statements claiming Messi deserved the Ballon d’Or. 

The French manager refrained from refusing to put Messi as the best player in the world following his Ballon d’Or win. Deschamps quickly compared him to Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe to downplay the Argentine’s accomplishments. Regardless, it seems like the French manager is finally coming to terms with the decision.

Didier Deschamps comments on Messi’s Ballon d’Or win

In a recent interview, Deschamps reiterated his statement by confirming how people took his words and blew them out of proportion. Earlier this month, Deschamps refused to put the player ahead of Ronaldo and Mbappe. The French manager couldn’t care less about the eight Ballon d’Or. Yet, he explained what he meant about the Inter Miami star. 

Deschamps stated, “After that, these are votes from journalists all over the world. I’m not saying Messi didn’t deserve it and Haaland wouldn’t have deserved it. After that, the votes. They come from all over the world. I was surprised, to say the least, if not a little more surprised by some people’s votes.”

With a proper voting system for journalists for the award ceremony, the manager found it strange about the results. Journalists from 61 out of 100 nations picked Messi as the ultimate winner of the grand prize. Erling Haaland, who came second, was far behind La Pulga, with a margin of over a hundred points separating the duo.

Lionel Messi scores a comprehensive victory over his rivals

La Pulga had a sensational World Cup campaign in 2022, which saw him win the only title that eluded him throughout his career. However, his heroics received stiff competition from Erling Haland, who helped Manchester City bag their first Champions League title.

READ MORE: FC Barcelona’s Centenary Games May Host Lionel Messi and Argentina as Rivals, as Per Rumours

Both players were the front runners for the coveted award. However, Messi came on top after bagging 462 points via voting, while Haaland finished second with 357 points. With the win, La Pulga also became the oldest player since 1956 to get his hands on the coveted title.

Do you think Lionel Messi deserved to win the Ballon d’Or title? Let us know in the comments below.

WATCH THIS STORY: Soccer Stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Make a Huge Assist for Esports Space