Ronaldo Nazario picks his 2023 Ballon d'Or winner

Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario has picked Lionel Messi as his winner for the 2023 Ballon d'Or award. The former Real Madrid forward believes the Argentine deserves the award for his emphatic 2022 FIFA World Cup victory.

He said (via Albiceleste Talk):

“Messi deserves to win the Ballon d’Or. I think he will be crowned. He won the World Cup, which is a very big tournament.”

Lionel Messi was in exceptional form at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Argentine international racked up seven goals and three assists in the tournament, stepping up when it mattered.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner bagged a brace in the final against France and converted his spot-kick in the penalty shootout as well.

He seemed to be in great form for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as well last season, judging by the numbers. Messi scored 16 goals and provided as many assists in 32 Ligue 1 appearances for the French outfit.

The former Barcelona forward also recorded four goals and assists each in the UEFA Champions League last term.

However, he came under criticism from PSG fans along with teammate Neymar Jr. for the club's failures in the European competition. The Parisians were knocked out of the tournament in the Round of 16 by Bayern Munich, extending their wait for a Champions League trophy.

Messi has now secured a free transfer for the Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami following the expiration of his contract at the Parc des Princes.

It remains to be seen whether the Argentine superstar will win the 2023 Ballon d'Or for his exploits last season.

"Individual prizes are not what matters to me" - Lionel Messi makes emphatic claim about 2023 Ballon d'Or

After achieving his boyhood dream of winning the World Cup in 2022, a feat his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo has not yet accomplished, many consider Messi to be the frontrunner for the 2023 Ballon d'Or.

However, the Argentine international has made some huge claims about the award. He stated that such individual accolades are no longer a priority, insisting that he is more than happy with the World Cup victory.

Messi told Titan Sports (as quoted by GOAL):

“Does the Ballon d'Or matter to me? No, it's no longer important to me. I've always said, the individual prizes are not what matters to me, but the collective ones are the most important. The most important prize at the moment is the World Cup, the greatest prize for me.”