Di Maria Claps Back at Matthaus for Messi-Ballon d’Or Controversy
Angel di Maria has delivered a sharp response to former Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus, who claimed that Erling Haaland deserved the Ballon d’Or more than Lionel Messi.
Matthaus voiced his opinion on the matter, asserting that Haaland had outperformed Messi throughout the year. He emphasized the importance of the World Cup in his decision, stating, “A World Cup counts more than anything else.”
The 62-year-old further added, “For me, Haaland is the best player of the last twelve months. He won major trophies with Manchester City and broke goalscoring records in the process. For me, there is no way around Haaland. The choice is a farce, even though I am a Messi fan.”
However, some pundits and fans believe that Matthaus may be overlooking Messi’s exceptional club-level performance from the previous season, where the Argentine had the most assists and the highest number of goal-creating actions in Europe’s top five leagues. Messi’s consistency and brilliance throughout the entire season are also factors that shouldn’t be ignored.
Angel di Maria’s response to Matthaus has generated debate. While some see it as a passionate defense of Messi’s achievements, others find it disrespectful. What are your thoughts on Di Maria’s reaction to the Messi-Ballon d’Or controversy?
