Former Chelsea Star Backs Haaland for Ballon d'Or, Snubs Messi

• An ex-Chelsea player has a strong opinion about Lionel Messi winning another Ballon d'Or
• This year's title is expected to be a showdown between the Argentine and Erling Haaland
• Messi remains the most successful footballer in Ballon d'Or history with seven total awards

Former Chelsea defender, Jason Cundy strongly believes that if Lionel Messi were to win the 2023 Ballon d'Or award, it would be seen as a controversial decision.

The ex-Blues man has firmly contended that Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland is the most deserving candidate for this year's individual prize.

The recipient of the 2023 Ballon d'Or will be officially revealed at the end of this month.

Messi, Haaland, and Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe stand out as leading contenders for the highly esteemed individual accolade.

Speaking on talkSPORT, via Sportskeeda, Cundy said:

"I think if Haaland doesn’t win [the Ballon d’Or], it’s a disgrace. I think it’s a disgrace; Messi will win it because he won the World Cup."

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In the 2022/23 season, both Messi and Haaland delivered outstanding performances.

The Inter Miami forward secured victory in the FIFA World Cup held in Qatar and clinched the Ligue 1 title with PSG before his departure from the club in the summer, per Sky Sports.

Meanwhile, Haaland accomplished a remarkable treble with the Citizens, who secured the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League trophies.

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As Sports Brief also reported, the World Cup is often a strong indicator of who will win the award, with Argentina's Messi leading the race for the coveted and Haaland also a contender.

There is no doubt the 2023 race for the most coveted individual prize in football will be a heated one. Sports Brief looked at some of the most controversial calls in Ballon d'Or history.

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Sports Brief previously reported that the golden ball is football's most prestigious individual award - an honour reserved for the sport's elite, granted to only a select few in their careers.

In 2021, significant changes were made to the Ballon d'Or rules after Messi's seventh title, with the award no longer taking into account achievements in a calendar year but rather a season.