It was one of the hot topics of the week, but Xavi Hernández, Barcelona coach, defended the attribution of the Ballon d’Or to Lionel Messi, former teammate in Catalonia.
“You could think of Lewandowski, but when they open the envelope and say Messi, I feel football is fair. It’s the best in the world and ever. I believe it was Pep [Guardiola] who said it’s never unfair to give the Ballon d’Or to Messi and I agree.”
Messi received the seventh Golden Ball, finishing ahead of Poland’s Lewandowski.
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