Lionel Messi‘s latest triumph at the FIFA Best Awards has stirred controversy, with former Germany captain Lothar Matthaus expressing his disagreement, asserting that Messi did not deserve the accolade due to the absence of “major titles” in 2023, reported by GOAL.

Despite Messi's exceptional individual performances and his pivotal role in leading Argentina to World Cup victory in 2022, Matthaus believes that the lack of major team honors in 2023 should have influenced the voting differently. Messi and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland finished with equal points in the FIFA Best vote, but Messi secured the top prize due to receiving more first-place votes from international team captains.

Matthaus, a World Cup and Ballon d'Or winner in 1990, voiced his discontent on Sky Deutschland, stating, “He can't be the winner this time. I think he was the best footballer of the last 20 years, but he has been in Paris and Miami, where he is now creating a hype, and not won any major titles.”

According to Matthaus, when considering the best player, the decisive factor should be success in winning important titles. In his view, Haaland's contributions to Manchester City's impressive treble – securing the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in 2023 – overshadow Messi's achievements, including winning his second Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain and guiding Inter Miami to Leagues Cup glory after his move to the United States.

Matthaus's perspective challenges the consensus that Lionel Messi's legacy and influence should transcend team accomplishments, emphasizing the significance of collective achievements in determining the FIFA Best Award recipient. As debates over individual awards persist, the contrasting opinions in the football community add an extra layer of intrigue to the ongoing Messi-Haaland rivalry.