Former Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi was in Paris on Monday for the Ballon d’Or ceremony. Messi crossed paths with his ex-teammate Kylian Mbappé as the two vied for the prestigious award.
Messi would win the 2023 Ballon d’Or for the eighth time in his career. The Frenchman would go on social media to congratulate his former teammate for his accomplishment. The Argentine also opened up about his relationship with the 24-year-old.
“With Kylian, we said a few words to each other and asked how things were going,” Messi said. “We have a good relationship, and we fought for the same goals. We have a completely normal relationship.”
Messi didn’t stop there when talking about the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner. The 36-year-old spoke about Mbappé’s chances to win the Ballon d’Or in the future, which will begin this 2023-24 season.3
“[Mbappé and Erling Haaland] are two extraordinary players,” Messi said. “I shared two years in the same club (at PSG) with Kylian Mbappé. I know his talent, his immense talent.
“He is a player still very young. Both are still young. In the future, we will find them again. Haaland also has an extraordinary career. I am convinced that they will also be winners of the Ballon d’Or very soon.”
Mbappé has the rest of this club football season and then has the UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris to obtain various achievements. If the winger sweeps the Euros and a gold medal, along with a deep Champions League run, he might be the favorite.
Even though the Frenchman lost out to the Argentine, Mbappé went on Instagram to congratulate the now Inter Miami star on winning the Ballon d’Or.
“Congratulations, Leo, for your award,” Mbappé wrote on his Instagram story. “You deserve it.”
Nonetheless, Messi foresees the 2018 FIFA World Cup winning the award in the future, considering the PSG star is one of the best players in the world and barely scratching his prime years.
Kylian Mbappé was present among the competitors who could win the Ballon d’Or, therefore, when Lionel won, the cameras quickly pointed to the French forward, and this was his reaction, and also, Erling Haaland
