There is no place in the football world for those who doubt Messi's greatness – Zidane
France national team head coach Zinedine Zidane spoke about Lionel Messi's chances of winning the "Ballon d'Or - 2026" and, at the same time, put an end to the eternal debate regarding the greatest football player of all time.
There is no place in the football world for those who doubt Messi's greatness – Zidane
"I would have voted for Messi a hundred times"
Earlier, the Argentine footballer was included in the 30-man shortlist of nominees for the "Ballon d'Or - 2026" award. Zidane did not hide his sympathy for the former player of the Argentina national team:
"Messi and the Ballon d'Or? I would have voted for him a hundred times. If Messi wins this award, I won't be surprised."
The French coach specifically addressed the endless debates among fans regarding who is the greatest player in football history:
"If anyone still doubts who the greatest footballer of all time is, frankly, there is no place for such a person in the football world."
The season was rich in records for Messi: the "Inter Miami" forward recently scored the 800th goal of his club career, doing so in fewer games than his main rival for the GOAT title, Cristiano Ronaldo. In the last World Cup, the Argentina national team captained by Messi reached the final, where they lost to Spain.
The "Ballon d'Or - 2026" presentation ceremony will take place on October 26.
Despite Zidane's firm statement, the debate over the best player in history remains one of the most discussed topics in the football world — supporters of Pele, Maradona, and Ronaldo are unlikely to agree with this approach to the matter.