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Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi paid a high price for an underwhelming first season with Paris Saint-Germain when he was left off the 30-strong list for this year’s coveted football award.

Lucy Bronze, who was runner-up in 2019, is one of three members of England’s Euro-winning squad to be short-listed for the women’s award.

Messi, who won the title last year, had been an ever-present amongst the nominations since 2006 and a regular feature in the top three since 2007 with the exception of 2018.

But Messi, 35, has missed out on the 2022 award following his switch from Barcelona to the French capital.

A change in the format has also worked against the Argentine superstar with the Ballon d’Or no longer acknowledging the best player over a calendar year.

Instead, it is based on a season’s record highlighting “the individual performances” and the “decisive and impressive character” of the nominees, according to the criteria.

After leaving Barcelona in the summer of 2021, Messi was unable to stamp his genius on a PSG team desperate for a Champions League title.

The French champions suffered a last-16 exit at the hands of eventual winners Real Madrid.

In total, Messi scored only 11 goals for PSG with his relatively indifferent club form failing to impress France Football magazine, the organisers of the Ballon d’Or which will be awarded in Paris on October 17.

PSG teammate Neymar also misses out after a season where he scored 13 goals in 28 matches.

The remainder of the list of nominees throws up few surprises.

French international striker Karim Benzema is the overwhelming favourite after being the architect of Real Madrid’s 14th Champions League title.

He finished the European campaign with 15 goals.

Benzema is likely to become the fifth French winner after Raymond Kopa (1958), Michel Platini (1983, 1984, 1985), Jean-Pierre Papin (1991) and Zinedine Zidane (1998).


In the 2021/2022 season, Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 appearances for a Madrid side who also won the Liga title.

His goal in Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the European Super Cup took the 34-year-old to 324 goals for the Spanish giants.

That edged him ahead of Raul in the club’s all-time list with only Cristiano Ronaldo in front of him with 450.

“He’s in line for the Ballon d’Or. Is there any doubt? For me, no,” said Real coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Manchester United’s Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, is nominated again this year.

Benzema is joined on the 30-man list by teammates Thibaut Courtois, Casemiro, 2018 winner Luka Modric, Vinicius and former Chelsea player Antonio Rudiger.

Beaten Champions League finalists Liverpool have seven players nominated, the most of any club.

They are Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz, Fabinho, Sadio Mane, since transferred to Bayern Munich, Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk.

There is a 20-strong list for the women’s Ballon d’Or including English stars Bronze, Millie Bright and Arsenal forward Beth Mead who won the Golden Boot at the women’s Euro.

France have four nominations — Selma Bacha, Kadidiatou Diani, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Wendie Renard.

Defending champion Alexia Putellas, who was ruled out of the Euros with a last minute injury, and Norwegian star Ada Hegerberg, the first winner of the prize in 2018, are also in the running.

Source: https://punchng.com/Seven-time-winner-Messi-misses-Ballon-dOr-nomination-list

Even the last he won is robbery!


Every one knew Lewandoski deserved it!


Heavens and Earth could gamble it before humans gave it to Merci

The era of the goat is already closing up. He remains the best anyway.

Long live Messi.






kindly check my signature below for your academic research services

He don try

GOat

Benzema for the win



Messi na criminal, stole from lewandoski

Biased MOD’s Messi won super cup In France he didn’t make FP, Messi had a Beautiful Game and goal last week it still didn’t make FP. Your Bias is so glaring . You just feel comfortable putting up negative news about Messi .

Next year we move again. KING LEO MESSI

Messi time don pass be that, even CR7 no deserve to make the list....

Hrye

Like for Messi share for Penaldo

GOAT wey go soon turn Isi-Ewu.

Nothing last forever

Everything that has a beginning, has an end.

Karim Benzema for the award.

It is not his birthright

Goat

This is no news if Ballon dor had included him in their shortlist it will have been plain the award is designed for Leo

The GOAT dey on semester break, we dey come collect this iron this time around. meanwhile, the lieutenant GOAT wey dey Man-U should be warming up to become super eagles coach. That's all. Congratulations in advance to our Kano brother benzema

He won finalisima, una no talk na no talk, he won the man of the match and carried the cup recently una no talk, he scored a brace and one of which is a stunning overhead kick una no talk, now when he is not shortlisted, you start spreading the news and it even made front page....all this bias over what?

.

T

Glow unlimited data is still working perfectly, message me to grab

Staphylococcus:
Even the last he won is robbery!


Every one knew Lewandoski deserved it!


Heavens and Earth could gamble it before humans gave it to Merci

Bro no de argue, na Messi get football so he deserve am

He has tried hiß best

There is time for everything

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/Seven-time-winner-Messi-misses-Ballon-dOr-nomination-list

very obvious they ojoro no fit work this time

He was there before him.
Still there after him.