No hay duda alguna que Lionel Messi es uno de los mejores futbolistas de la historia, que su aparición en el fútbol causó un impacto sin precedentes en el mundo. La regularidad del argentino con o sin títulos es para no creer y, pese a ello, se le sigue criticando como si tuviera deuda alguna; siempre le sacan algún récord que le falta por romper.
Football is a team sport, no matter how much they try to individualize it. The Ballon d'Or is one of those awards that seeks to honor one person, because in the end, there is always only one champion, not two. The 2020/21 season was not the best for 'La Pulga', nor was it the worst, but others also play.
Todas las veces que Lionel Messi ganó el Balón de Oro. Photo: AFP
Hace unos años Messi ganaba todo por sus actuaciones con el FC Barcelona y en la selección argentina era al revés. Despite reaching two consecutive Copa America finals and being runner-up in the 2014 World Cup, he was always criticized in his country, often without foundation, as a consequence of that winning obsession that only seeks to be number 1, otherwise you are the worst on earth.
PUEDES VER: Ballon d'Or 2021: incidents, results and details of the ceremony from Paris
In recent years, the situation of Barcelona became unsustainable to the point that he had to leave; while in the Albiceleste, under the command of Lionel Scaloni, he was able to dream and win his first trophy with the country where he was born. Indeed, he won the 2021 Ballon d'Or for what he did in Brazilian lands.
Leo played a more than key role in Argentina reaching the final, in which he offered one of his worst versions ever seen. But, he won and that is what counts or what people remember. Currently, the PSG player is fighting to establish himself in his new home, in a new country and in a new city like Paris.
"I don't know if it's fair, I just know it's true," is a phrase that the late Daniel Peredo used to say on occasions and fits perfectly to explain the current context: Messi's seventh. Athletes who had a great season and who have as good arguments as Lionel himself remained on the sidelines of winning the highest individual football award.
PUEDES VER: The seventh has arrived! Lionel Messi won the 2021 Ballon d'Or
Jorginho had a dream season, winning the Champions League with Chelsea and the European Championship with the Italian national team, finishing third. Robert Lewandowski, with impressive numbers at Bayern Munich and MVP of last season, finished second. N'Golo Kanté, a cornerstone for the Blues in their second Champions League win and vital for France, finished fifth.
One of the highlights of the gala was when Lionel Messi posed with his wife and three children for the cameras. Photo: AFP
Neymar, who had an outstanding 2021 Copa America and played a great final, only missed out on being champion, finished in 16th place, perhaps deserved to be in the top 10 at least. Unfortunately, the award is won by only one person and all those mentioned above could have also won that Ballon d'Or awarded to a Leo Messi who will have to make room in his home for so many awards.