Haaland coach: 'Messi will win the Golden Ball'
"If you ask me who will win the Golden Ball, I will say Messi," Solbakken told Norwegian newspaper VG on September 10. "The World Cup championship still affects the Golden Ball."
Messi and Haaland are both on the list of 30 candidates for the 2023 Golden Ball Award. According to Betfair, the Argentine striker is currently the number one candidate, with a 1 to 1.11 winning ratio. Meanwhile, Haaland is right behind with a ratio of 1 to 5.5. Other candidates are considered less likely to win. Vinicius, Kevin De Bruyne, Jude Bellingham, Rodri and Bernardo Silva are all ranked third, but are at odds of 1 to 81. Last year's Golden Ball winners, Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe are still behind, with odds of 1 to 101. .
Messi led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup, the biggest team-level title that takes place every four years. This tournament ends in December 2022, but is still counted in the 2023 Golden Ball race. Previously, the tournament's organizing committee and France Football magazine "closed" the 2022 Golden Ball in October of the same year.
At club level, Messi won Ligue 1 with PSG. After going to the US to play for Inter Miami in July, the 36-year-old Argentine striker won another Leagues Cup and set a record of 44 team titles.
Compared to Messi, Haaland is far behind in terms of team success. The 23-year-old striker scored 24 goals in 25 matches for Norway, but failed in the World Cup qualifiers. Norway is also out of breath in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, ranked third in Group A behind Scotland and Spain. However, at club level, Haaland is the current number one star. In the 2022-2023 season, he scored 52 goals in 53 matches, helping Man City win the treble, including the first Champions League title.
When asked by France Football magazine about his ability to surpass Messi, Haaland replied: "It's a trick question. Am I the best player? Maybe. I know I still have to improve a lot, Because I'm still young. But yes, I believe I have a chance this year."
Voters for the Golden Ball are journalists around the world selected by France Football. After the magazine compiles the votes, the player with the highest score wins. On October 30, France Football will announce the results at a ceremony in Paris, France.
Messi holds the record of winning seven Golden Balls. He is two more titles than the second ranked person, Cristiano Ronaldo. The three legends Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco Van Basten all ranked third, with three titles. Meanwhile, Haaland has not yet won the Golden Ball.
