Inter Miami’s coach, Gerardo Martino, still considers Lionel Messi “the best in the world,” despite Vinicius Junior being close to winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
The Real Madrid star is expected to receive the award in France on Monday, ending the domination of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for this French trophy. There is no doubt that Vinicius had an extraordinary season in 2023/24, helping Real Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League, but Inter Miami coach Martino has questioned the Ballon d’Or criteria and called his Argentinian magician the best.
“The Ballon d’Or has never been something that caught my attention, and it’s not clear to me whether the award is for the best in the world or of the year. Vinicius Junior certainly deserves [to be considered the best for last season], but if you ask me who the best is right now, it’s Messi,” said Miami’s coach.
Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023, extending his record after leading Argentina to their third World Cup victory, but he was not nominated for the 2024 award. It’s said that the 37-year-old was penalized for his transfer to Inter Miami, but he continues to display top form, despite playing in Major League Soccer. So far this season, he has scored 20 goals and provided 11 assists, while Miami has qualified for the playoffs.
After deciding to permanently move to the USA following a challenging time at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi aims to push Miami to the limit in the MLS Cup race.
After defeating Atlanta United 2-1 in the first playoff match, Martino’s team aims to repeat their success against the Georgia squad on Friday in an away match.
