Ballon d'Or is very important due to the recognition at an individual level, but I never gave it importance: Messi

Lionel Messi already has seven Ballons d'Or to his name and insists that winning an eighth in 2023 is no kind of priority for him.

The legendary Argentine has cemented his standing among the all-time greats and has nothing left to achieve at the very highest level after helping his country to World Cup glory in 2022. That triumph may yet earn him another Golden Ball, but Messi – who is now playing his club football for Inter Miami after leaving Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent – is adamant that he has never given much thought to the collection of individual prizes.

Messi has said of being recognised as the best player on the planet: "I have said it many times, the Ballon d'Or is very important due to the recognition at an individual level, but I never gave it importance. The most important thing for me was always the awards at the group level. I was lucky to have achieved everything in my career and after the World Cup, I'm thinking about that award much less, my biggest award was that (the World Cup). If it (the Ballon d'Or) arrives, good, and if not, nothing happens. I was lucky to achieve all my goals in my career and now I have new goals with this club."

Messi appeared guaranteed to land another Ballon d'Or when helping Argentina to global glory in Qatar, but he now faces fierce competition for that award from Manchester City striker Erling Haaland – with the prolific Norwegian striker having netted 52 goals last season as he helped his club to a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble.

Haaland has been back among the goals for City in 2023-24, but Messi has also rediscovered his spark since moving to the United States – with the 36-year-old hitting nine goals through six appearances for Inter Miami in the inaugural Leagues Cup.