Ronaldo and Messi – photo credit: Icon Sport
FIFA unveiled the list of nominees for the FIFA The Best Trophy on Monday, November 22. Winner of the last edition, Robert Lewandowski is well in the list with other favorites like the Egyptian Mohamed Salah and the French Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappé and N’Golo Kanté. Despite their decline in form in recent years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are indeed part of the list of ten nominees.
Twice winner of this trophy in 2016 and 2017, Ronaldo is taken in the list like the other superstar of the football planet, Messi, winner in 2019. The two players are certainly not the favorite in the current edition, but deserve their place, however. Explanations.
Scoring 33 goals in 39 games with Juventus last season, Ronaldo was arguably the Old Lady’s best player in 2021. He certainly failed to win a major trophy by placing fourth and Serie A and in being eliminated prematurely by FC Porto in the Champions League, but still lifted the Italian Cup. Since returning to Manchester United, he hasn’t stopped impressing with 9 goals in 13 games. Even in the selection, Ronaldo had a good year 2021, during which he became the top scorer in the history of a selection (115 goals) ahead of Iranian Ali Daei (109 goals).
For his part, Lionel Messi had a complicated season with FC Barcelona, where he failed to exercise his favorite profession: to offer titles to his club of hearts, but he still took care of his individual statistics by scoring 30 goals in 35 matches in all competitions. The six-time Ballon d’Or has certainly not shone in the second half of the season, since joining Paris Saint-Germain, with which he waited until the 14th day of Ligue 1 to open his goal counter in the league , but it remains a safe bet and its presence in the list of nominees goes beyond the sporting framework. In 2021, the Pulga also broke a record with Argentina. By scoring a hat-trick against Bolivia, he broke the record for goals scored in the South American selection held by Pelé (79 against 77).
Even if Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi do not start favorites to win their trophy, their presence can be defended by FIFA. Because even far from their best level, these two players, who have delighted football fans for many years, remain safe values.
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