'Achieved everything': Lionel Messi gives a unique take on chances of winning Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi has been on fire since his arrival at Inter Miami last month, taking the team that had failed to win the last 11 games to the final of the Leagues Cup 2023. The Argentine star has scored in all 6 matches so far he has played with the Miami-based outfit. 

3 things you need to know 

• Lionel Messi has scored nine goals in the Leagues Cup 2023
• Inter Miami will play Nashville SC in the competition’s final
• Messi has won 7 Ballon d’Or titles in his career so far

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Messi makes a huge statement on a chance of winning his 8th Ballon d’Or

After being nominated for the UEFA Men's Player Of The Year award on Thursday, Lionel Messi expressed his concern about securing an unprecedented eighth Ballon d'Or title. With seven previous Ballon d'Or victories, Messi has firmly entrenched himself in the annals of football history. The Argentine maestro won his most recent Ballon d'Or in 2021 while playing for Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona as a free agent. Messi has had a long-term rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo for the Ballon d’Or in the past decade, but he prevailed over CR7 after he left Real Madrid to join Juventus. The Al-Nassr and Portuguese captain has won 5 Ballon d’Or in his career.

Last year, Messi might have not had the best season individually with the club, but he achieved something that he had been waiting for all his life. During the 2022-23 season, Messi won his second Ligue 1 championship with Paris Saint-Germain and ultimately won the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar. Leo became the Player of the Tournament and joined the list of players “who have won everything in the football world”. The Inter Miami captain now has a huge chance to bring the prestigious award for the very first time in the US.

Now, the 36-year-old is competing against Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne for the prestigious UEFA Men's Player Of The Year award. During a press conference in Miami, Messi expressed his disinterest in winning his eighth Ballon d'Or. He emphasised that he has never placed a substantial emphasis on individual accolades, instead emphasising his emphasis on collective accomplishments.

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As stated by TyC Sports, winning his 8th title of the best player in the world is not a concern, he stated: 

During my career, I said it many times. The Ballon d'Or is an important award, the most beautiful on an individual level, but I never gave it importance. The most important thing was always the collective prizes. I was lucky to get everything in my career and you can imagine that after having won the World Cup, which was what I lacked, much less am I thinking about that award . My biggest prize was that and today I am enjoying my moment. The truth is that I don't think so. If it arrives, fine, and if not, nothing happens. Now I have new goals with this club.

When will Messi play his next match?

Messi’s Inter Miami is set to face Nashville SC in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday, August 20. This could be a huge chance for him to clinch his first-ever title in the US soccer circuit. Interestingly, Messi has a chance of lifting a championship trophy again with his former FC Barcelona teammates, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, as they last lifted the Spanish Super Cup in 2021.