Lionel Messi‘s historic eighth Ballon d'Or win has stirred controversy, with former footballer Lothar Matthaus labeling it a ‘farce,' reported by GOAL. Despite Messi's exceptional contribution to Argentina's World Cup victory, Matthaus believes Erling Haaland's remarkable performance for Manchester City made him more deserving of the prestigious award.

At the Theater du Chatelet in Paris, Messi claimed his eighth Golden Ball, surpassing his competitors Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe. Messi's standout performance during Argentina's World Cup triumph, where he scored seven goals and provided three assists, secured him the accolade.

However, Matthaus expressed his disagreement, arguing that Haaland's contributions to Manchester City, including their historic treble and numerous records broken, made him the standout player of the past year. “Over the whole of last year, Haaland performed better than Messi,” stated Matthaus. “The choice is a farce, even though I am a Messi fan.”

In his acceptance speech, Messi acknowledged Haaland's exceptional season, recognizing the Norwegian's impressive 36-goal tally in the Premier League, breaking previous records. Messi also praised both Haaland and Mbappe, predicting their future triumphs in the Ballon d'Or. The historical win might have been an end of an era with new young talents knocking on the door.

Despite the controversy, Haaland remains focused on his upcoming challenges. He is set to return to action against Bournemouth in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi is enjoying a well-deserved break from football until the November international break when he will represent Argentina in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil.