Lionel Messi admits ‘no doubts’ Karim Benzema deserves Ballon d’Or

Seven-time winner Messi has tipped Benzema to secure the individual award for the first time

Lionel Messi (left) is certain that Karim Benzema is deserving of the annual prize (Getty Images)

Lionel Messi believes there should be “no doubt” that Karim Benzema is deserving of the Ballon d’Or this year.

The French striker has helped Real Madrid to twin Champions League and La Liga successes this season, scoring more than 40 times in all competitions.

Benzema has never finished in the top three in voting for the annual individual footballing prize, which is presented by France Football.

The 34-year-old was fourth as Messi secured his seventh crown at last year’s ceremony in November, but the Paris Saint-Germain forward is certain that Benzema should succeed him.

“I think there are no doubts,” Messi told TyCSports.

“It is very clear that Benzema had a spectacular year and ended up victorious in the Champions League. He was vital in all the matches from the round of 16 onwards. I think there is no doubt this year.”

Messi pipped Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski to the gong last year to move two Ballon d’Or awards clear of Cristiano Ronaldo as the most decorated male footballer in history.

The award was not handed out in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, a decision criticised by Messi, who suggested during his victory speech that Lewandowski should have been rewarded for a year in which he powered Bayern to a treble.

Lewandowski later hinted that he felt his rival’s call for a retrospective awarding of the 2020 Ballon d’Or may just be “empty words”, though would later emphasise that he was “touched and delighted” by Messi’s remarks.

The Argentine forward has now responded and said he was “not interested” in the Polish striker’s comments.

“Obviously he can express himself and say what he wants,” Messi said of Lewandowski. “I honestly don’t share what he said but I didn’t give it much importance either. That’s it, it stayed there and he can say what he wants and I’m not interested.

“But the words I said at that moment were from the heart and because I really felt that way. I said he deserved the Ballon d’Or before, because the year before I thought he was the best, but the year I won it was not the best. I just said that.”