Lionel Messi: France Boss Deschamps Refuses To Call Argentina Hero GOAT Ahead of Ronaldo, Mbappe

• Didier Deschamps does not believe that Lionel Messi is the greatest footballer of all time
• The France coach argued that Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe are on par with the Argentine
• Meanwhile, Messi remains the most successful recipient of the Ballon d'Or prize

France manager, Didier Deschamps remains unconvinced that Lionel Messi should be universally hailed as the greatest footballer of all time, despite the Argentine maestro securing his unprecedented eighth Ballon d'Or award.

Messi's triumph at the 2023 Ballon d'Or Awards in Paris, where he outshone contenders Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, marked a significant milestone in the history of the prestigious accolade.

While Messi's season with Paris Saint-Germain was relatively unremarkable by his lofty standards, the addition of the one major trophy that had eluded him throughout his illustrious career, the FIFA World Cup, played a decisive role in securing the Golden Ball, as cited by TIME.

When Messi sent emphatic message after winning Ballon d’Or ahead of Ronaldo

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The Golden Ball success on Monday, October 30, solidifies Messi's dominance with three more Ballon d'Or awards than any other player. His closest rival and long-standing "Greatest of All Time" (GOAT) contender, Cristiano Ronaldo, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, notably did not make the shortlist for the first time since 2003.

While many enthusiasts assert that Messi's World Cup triumph and his eighth Ballon d'Or victory solidify his claim to the title of the greatest footballer of all time, Deschamps maintains a different viewpoint.

“The Argentinians [say that Messi is the best of all time]. He is one of them, but is difficult to say that Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo or Kylian Mbappé, who is younger,” the France coach told Futbol Picante, as cited by GFFN.

Messi dodges GOAT question

Meanwhile, following his momentous eighth Ballon d'Or victory on Monday night, Messi deftly sidestepped a question about the title of the world's best player.

2023 Ballon d'Or: Ronaldo Nazario picks between Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland

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Despite making significant remarks in the wake of his win, the 36-year-old tactfully evaded any discussion regarding the ongoing debate between himself and his longstanding rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.

When pressed on whether he considered himself the best player in the world, Messi chose to respond diplomatically.

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Matthaus: Messi does not deserve Ballon d'Or

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that German football legend, Lothar Matthaus has voiced his dissent, asserting that Lionel Messi was not deserving of the 2023 Ballon d'Or accolade.

A former recipient of the Golden Ball prize in 1990, Matthaus remains adamant that Messi should not have been awarded the highly coveted individual honour, instead favouring Manchester City striker Erling Haaland for the recognition.