A Brazilian legend selects 34 players for the Ballon d’Or and draws a distinction between Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi: “He needs the team to do things for him; Messi doesn’t”
Felipe Melo chose the Argentine as his candidate for the award and explained why he wouldn’t give it to Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, or Raphinha.
Melo is clear on who should win the Ballon d’Or. The former Brazilian international chose Lionel Messi and explained his decision by comparing the Argentine to other candidates.
But Melo went even further. During his statement, the Brazilian revisited the eternal debate between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and explained what, in his view, is the difference that still places the Argentine above the Portuguese.
Felipe Melo Picks Messi for the Ballon d’Or
“For me, the Ballon d’Or goes to Messi. Let me explain why,” Melo began before analyzing some of the other names that could be in the running for the award.
“I could say Raphinha, who had a good season with Barcelona but didn’t make an impact with Brazil at the World Cup. I could say Mbappé, who scores a lot of goals, but didn’t win anything with Real Madrid. From Spain, it could be Lamine Yamal, who didn’t have a World Cup like Messi did,” he argued.
For the former soccer player, the Argentine’s performance both with the national team and at the club level ultimately tips the scales. “For me, he was the best player in the World Cup and had a great season in the MLS. In my opinion, Messi has to win the Ballon d’Or,” he stated.
The former midfielder’s admiration for the Argentine didn’t end there. When the conversation turned to the greatest soccer players in history, he had no doubts either: “Messi is the greatest of all time. I didn’t see Pelé play. There’s Zico, who’s one of my idols, but I didn’t see him play either. Ronaldo ‘O Fenômeno,’ Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane, Neymar… but Messi is the greatest of all time.”
The Difference Felipe Melo Sees Between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Melo also spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo and made it clear that his choice of Messi doesn’t mean he’s taking anything away from the Portuguese player. In fact, he admitted to being particularly impressed by the forward’s enduring form and professionalism.
“I’m a huge fan of Cristiano because he’s an incredible professional: he’s 41 years old and looks like he’s in better shape than an 18-year-old—he’s a beast,” he said.
However, that’s when he highlighted the difference between the two. “When Cristiano was 25 or 30, he did everything on his own, but now he needs the team to create opportunities for him. Messi doesn’t. If the game is tough and tight, he drops back and sets up his teammates to score goals. That’s why he’s a complete player, ” he explained.
During the talk, the Brazilian even coined the term “Messianic cycle” to describe the phenomenon surrounding the Argentine captain . According to Melo, Messi’s influence led fans from other countries to begin identifying with the Albiceleste and even rooting for its success.
“Messi is the kind of player who draws a huge following wherever he goes, and there are people who support him and wear the Argentine jersey just because of him. That happened at one point with Brazil and Ronaldo, Neymar, Romario… Messi is something else,” he concluded.
