Home Football Why Erling Haaland will find it difficult to defeat Lionel Messi in the Ballon d’Or vote as Richard Dunne discusses a potential future GOAT competition with Kylian Mbappe in the whole article

Why Erling Haaland will find it difficult to defeat Lionel Messi in the Ballon d’Or vote as Richard Dunne discusses a potential future GOAT competition with Kylian Mbappe in the whole article

Football — 09/19/2023

Richard Dunne predicts that Erling Haaland will have trouble unseating Lionel Messi, who he calls the “finished article,” for the Ballon d’Or.

Lionel Messi Erling Haaland

The £51 million ($63 million) striker from Norway was a revelation for City last season as a result of his departure from Borussia Dortmund. Haaland scored 52 goals in all competitions, winning the English Premier League Golden Boot and propelling his team to an unprecedented triple of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

Lionel Messi Ballon d'Or

Because of those efforts, Haaland is thought to be competing with 2022 World Cup winner Messi for the title of the best player on the planet. Former City captain Dunne, speaking in association with OLBG, responded to a question about whether the prolific 23-year-old can beat out a man with seven Golden Balls by saying: “From a numbers point of view, he’s been untouchable, he’s been the difference to Man City. The natural number nine was most likely what they were lacking to continue and win the Champions League if you think back and reflect. I am aware that he didn’t score in the later rounds of the competition, but he only creates havoc and makes players mark him; they may even need two players to do so. As a result, he frees up space in other areas. Whatever criteria are used to award the Ballon d’Or, Messi is unquestionably the most accomplished player; he is the finished product. Even though Haaland is a decent person, he still has room for improvement. If you’re looking at pure goal scorers, Haaland is unrivaled in the world. He could still improve beyond the box and get more engaged in games, though.

Kylian Mbappe Erling Haaland 2023-24

Whatever transpires in 2023, Haaland seems poised to become a global sports celebrity. He is anticipated to compete with Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain for the 2019 Ballon d’Or, and Dunne expressed optimism for a rivalry similar to that between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo: “I hope we can get that rivalry again of two or three great players in the world. Haaland, in my opinion, is headed for stardom. The transfer rumors don’t assist Mbappe; he needs to find a place to call home and a team that fits him. The speed he has and the levels he can achieve are fantastic in my opinion, yet sometimes when you watch him you question if he’s content or interested. Does he have a long-term future at PSG, or does he have to find a new team? I believe we will start to see the best of him once we figure it out.

Haaland, who spent much of the summer being linked to a move to Real Madrid, has already scored seven goals in as many games for City this season, adding a UEFA Super Cup winners’ medal to his collection. Mbappe, meanwhile, has scored seven goals in as few appearances for PSG.