Ballon d’Or 2023: He’s from different planet – Chelsea’s ex-midfielder, Gullit names favourite to win award

Former Chelsea midfielder, Ruud Gullit, has identified Paris Saint-Germain’s Lionel Messi as the favourite player to win the Ballon d’Or this year because he won the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Gullit said Messi is from a different player, adding that he is at the same level as late football icons Pele and Diego Maradona.

He also lavished praise on Messi’s PSG teammate, Kylian Mbappe, insisting he is on the same level as the Argentina captain.

Gullit said this while speaking about the next possible Ballon d’Or winner.

Recall that Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema won the Ballon d’Or last year.

“Because Messi won the World Cup, he has the biggest chance of winning (Ballon d’Or), but Mbappe, my God, has so much respect for him,” Gullit said (via Times of India).

“He is at the same level (as Messi). What he has done in the World Cup final, to take that responsibility as a young kid, is unbelievable. I find that extraordinary.”

He added, “There was a lot of pressure on him to win the World Cup, and he did it. Especially for the legacy of Messi, this is fantastic. We have seen him do things that are out of order, that he is from a different planet, but winning the World Cup is exceptional. He is with the greats of football, as with Pele and Maradona.”