West Ham United striker, Michail Antonio, has expressed his belief that it would be scandalous if Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland is not named the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner, ahead of Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi.
Antonio is of the opinion that Haaland, who led his team to victory in the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League, truly deserves this year’s Ballon d’Or over Messi.
“While Messi’s World Cup win is undoubtedly significant, it’s impossible to overlook the accomplishments of a team that has won the treble, and the impact that Haaland had in breaking records,” Antonio stated during an episode of his Footballers’ Footballer podcast (via Manchester Evening News).
“He absolutely deserves the Ballon d’Or. If he doesn’t receive it, it would be nothing short of a scandal.”
Haaland’s performance during his first season with Man City was nothing short of spectacular.
The Norwegian striker scored an impressive 52 goals and provided nine assists in a total of 53 matches across various competitions, earning him the Premier League Golden Boot.
In addition, the 23-year-old emerged as the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, netting 12 goals in just 11 matches.
