In what was a celebration of Lionel Messi‘s monumental World Cup win, French Football awarded him with his record 8th Ballon d’Or in October 2023. Notably, Messi won the grand prize in the same year Erling Haaland chased a continental treble with Manchester City while smashing the EPL’s goal-scoring record. On the back of Haaland’s controversial snub, Messi’s Ballon d’Or win was contested by soccer icons and fans alike. Now, in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Norwegian soccer star turned pundit, Markus Fjortoft has doubled down on why his compatriot Haaland deserved the Golden Ball.

Markus Fjortoft believes that the ‘nostalgia and romanticism‘, associated with the FIFA World Cup, gave Leo Messi the edge over Erling Haaland in the Ballon d’Or race. Fjortoft thought from Haaland’s perspective and wondered what more a treble-winner like him had to do to secure the Ballon d’Or.

Markus Fjortoft thinks Erling Haaland’s historic season ‘deserves it’ over the World Cup’s romantic image

In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Markus Fjortoft was quizzed about his take on Messi’s debated Ballon d’Or win. “You’re winning the treble, you’re beating goal-scoring records for fun. If you’re Haaland, you think what more do I have to do?,” said Markus Fjortoft. He added, “You know with the World Cup, there is a romanticism to it and what Messi did was historic and so that obviously plays in”.

Fjortoft continued, “But when we look across the season and you do what Haaland did over the course of the season and I’m careful to spite Messi because Messi is Messi. But at the same time, it is over the course of the season, which I think Haaland would deserve it.”

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Soon enough, Markus’ father and veteran Norwegian striker, Jan Aage Fjortoft, intervened and told EssentiallySports that he thinks along the same lines as his son. He said he could reluctantly give a pass to Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or win, considering his World Cup win. However, Fjortoft Sr. was way more displeased with the Argentine skipper winning FIFA The Best Men’s Award.

Jan Aage Fjortoft on Lionel Messi’s FIFA The Best Men’s Award win

Unlike the Ballon d’Or, FIFA The Best Award did not consider the period of Lionel Messi’s 2022 World Cup triumph. Whereas, it covered the period Erling Haaland won the treble with City. “What I didn’t find right is the last award, the FIFA award. I think the fact that the World Cup did not count was not written in big letters sent to the players and coaches,” Jan Aage Fjortoft said.

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He also reiterated what he said in a discussion on ESPN FC, stating, “If it was like Messi should win every award, then The Godfather (1972) would win every Oscar award.”

This is perhaps the first time the soccer world has raised these many questions over the Argentine icon winning an award. Notably, a treble-winner has never failed to win such awards in its previous editions. Meanwhile, Erling Haaland could continue chasing glory, as Manchester City has another shot at a treble this season.

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