Fan thinks he’s found link between Erling Haaland’s age and Lionel Messi’s next Ballon d’Or success
A fan has made an interesting observation regarding Erling Haaland’s age and its connection to the Ballon d’Or award. The prestigious ceremony is set to take place in Paris on October 16, and while Haaland’s impressive debut season at Manchester City puts him in contention for a podium finish, it is widely believed that Lionel Messi will once again claim the crown.
The fan argues that Messi’s Ballon d’Or victories align with his main rivals reaching the age of 23. As evidence, they point out that Messi won his first Ballon d’Or at the age of 23, coinciding with Cristiano Ronaldo’s age at the time. The same pattern occurred when Neymar Jr. turned 23, and most recently, when Kylian Mbappé reached that age. Now that Haaland has also turned 23, the fan suggests that history may repeat itself.
While the fan deserves credit for their observation, it remains to be seen whether Messi’s World Cup triumph last December, at the age of 36, will be enough to secure him another Ballon d’Or. Messi played a crucial role in Argentina’s victory, scoring twice in the unforgettable penalty shootout against France in the final. This win marked Argentina’s first World Cup triumph since 1986.
The 2022 World Cup may have been Messi’s final appearance in the tournament, but he made it count by scoring seven goals, including his historic goal against Saudi Arabia, which made him the first Argentine player to score in four World Cups. He continued his impressive form with goals against Mexico and Croatia, leading Argentina to their third World Cup title in dramatic fashion.
Messi has also had a remarkable start to his Major League Soccer (MLS) career after leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2022/23 season. With the Copa America set to kick off next summer, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Messi lift a third consecutive trophy with the Argentine national team.
In other news, talkSPORT has launched a new football match center where fans can stay updated on all the latest Manchester City fixtures, results, and live Premier League standings. The center provides comprehensive coverage and is a valuable resource for football enthusiasts.
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An eagle-eyed football fan has pointed to a potential link between Borussia Dortmund and Norway striker Erling Haaland and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, believing the former could facilitate the latter potentially claiming a record-breaking sixth Ballon d’Or.
The fan, who goes by the name of GoalProjection on Twitter, tweeted showcasing a rather unique hypothesis which professes to be able to pinpoint a correlation between Haaland’s age and a Ballon d’Or for Messi.
The 20-year-old switched to Dortmund last January, four months before Messi winning his fifth record-breaking Ballon d’Or.
Collecting together the stats and facts, he came to the conclusion that should Haaland continue to have similar success until the age of 28, Messi stands a greater chance of claiming a sixth Golden Ball.
The tweets have been favourably received among fans and industry professionals alike, with its creator confidently proclaiming the “Link is established”.
Erling Haaland himself is yet to comment on the situation, though one would assume he is largely indifferent to claims which presume his imminent success, given the high expectations carried by the Norwegian champion.
Regardless, the fan’s claims appear to hold some merit, though only time will tell if they amount to anything substantial. For now though, the stats suggest that should Erling Haaland continue on his present form, Lionel Messi may stand a chance to claim a sixth Ballon d’Or.