By Brian Okoth
Argentina's Lionel Messi won a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or title on Monday, pipping Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and French forward Kylian Mbappe to the prize.
Messi played a star role in Argentina's World Cup win in Qatar in 2022, completing a praiseworthy trophy haul.
The World Cup was the only prize that had eluded the former Barcelona great, and when he won it, he cemented his name as arguably the world's best player to have ever graced the game of football.
During the 2022 World Cup, Messi took home the Golden Ball award, which is given to the best player of the tournament.
He scored seven goals in that campaign, one behind the Golden Boot winner and fellow finalist Kylian Mbappe.
Haaland's successful season
Messi had three assists, completed 21 key passes, and fired 32 shots at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Manchester City's Haaland, who was a 2023 Ballon d'Or favourite, had more impressive goal and assist figures in the 2022 campaign.
He scored 52 goals for City, won the FA Cup, the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, where he was the top scorer.
He was also crowned the UEFA Men's Player of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season.
On social media, some football fans said Haaland deserved the Ballon d'Or more than Messi.
'Rigged' system
English broadcaster Piers Morgan said on X: "Messi preposterously winning the Ballon d'Or this year is yet more proof that the whole 'Golden Ball' system is rigged. He should have won 2 fewer, @Cristiano should have won 2 more, and Haaland should have won this year. End."
Another X user, Toolz Money, termed Messi's eighth Ballon d'Or win a "robbery", and that Haaland should have been declared the winner.
Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo liked and laughed in the comments on a video criticising Messi's eighth Ballon d'Or.
A journalist had said on Instagram that Messi scored six penalties in the World Cup, and should have five Ballon d'Ors, arguing that he took one from Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, and Xavi or Iniesta.
How Ballon d'Or winners are selected
The Ballon d'Or nominees are shortlisted by the editorial team at France Football, a respected French weekly football publication.
After 30 top names have been selected, a jury of 100 journalists – representing the top 100 FIFA-ranked footballing nations – votes.
In ranking their top-five players, each of the journalists looks at individual and collective performances during the year; talent and fair play; and overall judgment of the players' career.
The top-ranking player from each journalist's selection will receive six points, with the second-ranking player earning four points, then three, two and one going down from the rest of their top five picks.
The total points are thereafter calculated, and the player who receives the most number of points will be awarded the top honour.
World Cup win is 'superior'
As debate rages whether Messi, deserved the 2023 Ballon d'Or or not, TRT Afrika spoke to seasoned sports journalists about the latest outcome.
Mike Okinyi, the sports editor at Kenya's leading television station Citizen TV, says Messi deserved the win.
"The ultimate prize in football is the World Cup. It is the pinnacle of achievement. Messi won it," Okinyi said.
"You would remember that the trophy had eluded him for long – since 2006. He appeared to have given up on winning it, and even retired from international football in 2016 after Argentina's defeat to Chile in the final of the Copa America that year.
"His nation, however, told him that they needed him, and would do everything possible to help him win the World Cup. Messi then rescinded his decision, and returned to international football. Being the inspirational force he is, he guided Argentina to the World Cup trophy in 2022," Okinyi said.
A 'deserved' win
The journalist says Messi "deserved" the Ballon d'Or, because the World Cup prestige supersedes "all the other competitions combined."
"If you look at the number of people who watch the EPL and the UEFA Champions League, they are much less than those who watch the World Cup," Okinyi said.
"Haaland did not play at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Messi did, and won it."
James Wokabi, another seasoned journalist who works at the Nation Media Group in Kenya, echoes Okinyi's sentiments, saying the World Cup is the "biggest trophy ever", and whoever wins it, deserves recognition on the highest stage.
"In a World Cup year, eyes are glued on who stands out at the tournament," Wokabi said.
'Perfect' fairytale
"While picking winners, the fairytale has to have a certain ending. And Messi had the perfect story. He had won everything in football except for the World Cup, and when he lifted the trophy in 2022, there was no other person who was going to beat him to the Ballon d'Or,” Wokabi added.
The journalist, however, says the Ballon d'Or has taken a different path in recent years.
"It has taken a marketing and social media route. Besides talent, winners are picked based on certain biases and influences. If you look at Messi, his win attracts a lot of attention globally, and that is good marketing for the Ballon d'Or.
"That explains why the football world has held on to the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry for long. We are in an era of narratives. The person who finishes the spectacular narrative is crowned the winner. Twenty to thirty years ago, the Ballon d'Or was all about talent on the pitch. That is no longer the case today," Wokabi said.
On whether Haaland was "robbed of" a win in this year's Ballon d'Or, Wokabi said: "I don't think so. The English media has exaggerated Haaland's loss to Messi."
Both Wokabi and Okinyi say there is no justification to change the method used to select the Ballon d'Or winners.
'Should not be left to fans'
People who faulted Messi's win said he had been favoured, and that the journalists who picked him as the top candidate erred.
"Picking Ballon d'Or winners should not be left to the fans because the teams that have a high following globally will always produce the winners," Okinyi said.
"The 100 journalists picked by FIFA are professionals, who cover these players week in, week out. And when selecting their top candidates, they never discuss with each other. It's purely an individual person's preference."
On his part, Wokabi said if fans are left to choose the winners, then "players with the highest number of social media followers will always win."
"Let us continue the France Football tradition that has withstood the test of time and made the game more beautiful," Wokabi said.
