Guardiola Claims Real Madrid Star Deserved Ballon d’Or Amid Messi vs Haaland Debate

• Pep Guardiola has made a surprise admission about Thibaut Courtois deserving a Ballon d'Or
• The goalkeeper impressed last season as Real Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League
• The Belgian made a couple of saves against Manchester City but these could not save his team

Manchester City head coach, Pep Guardiola has revisited the 2022 Ballon d'Or debate by claiming that Thibaut Courtois deserved the award.

Courtois' Real Madrid teammate, Karim Benzema won the individual prize after leading Real Madrid to a 14th Champions League title and the La Liga trophy.

Guardiola opined that although Benzema was also a deserved winner, Courtois deserved one as well.

"If they had given the Ballon d'Or to Courtois last year, it would also have been deserved," the Spaniard said, as quoted by Sportskeeda.

Courtois' 2022 achievements in football

The Belgian shot-stopper was Los Blancos' best player after Benzema, as he conceded only 46 goals in 52 appearances, as captured by Transfermarkt.

Courtois: Madrid's winning mentality will make the difference against Man City

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He put on major performances, especially in the Champions League final against Liverpool, where he bagged the man of the match prize.

Courtois was gifted the Yashin Trophy for being the best goalkeeper of the season but bizarrely finished in seventh place in the Ballon d'Or rankings.

Guardiola lauds Courtois after UCL

Guardiola made his comments after watching his team dump Real Madrid out of this season's Champions League.

Despite conceding four goals, Courtois was the best player in Carlo Ancelotti's side as he pulled off a string of decent stops to maintain a respectable scoreline.

He particularly thwarted star striker, Erling Haaland's efforts, with the Norwegian having at least three decent chances to get on the scoresheet.

Messi, Haaland Ballon d'Or rankings

This renewed Ballon d'Or debate comes at a time when Haaland closes in on Lionel Messi by qualifying for the Champions League final.

As Sports Brief reported, apart from his early elimination from the UCL, the Argentine delivered for his country at the 2022 World Cup.

Messi may still be the front-runner but his 2023 form, coupled with recent disciplinary issues, could stand between him and another title.