Lionel Messi says he ‘never gives importance’ to Ballon d’Or after nomination for Uefa best player award
- Argentine superstar in line for another individual award but has ‘other objectives’ with Inter Miami, who play in Leagues Cup final on Sunday
- ‘The World Cup was what I was missing. That’s why after Qatar I’m thinking much less about that [the Ballon d’Or],’ 36-year-old Messi says
Lionel Messi has been nominated for the Uefa player of the year – but has insisted he has “never given importance” to winning individual awards.
The Argentine World Cup winner is on a three-man shortlist with Manchester City duo Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, who won the treble together with the English Premier League club last season.
The winner of the prize will be revealed on August 31 in Monaco at the Champions League group stage draw ceremony.
But 36-year-old Messi, speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca during his first press conference as an Inter Miami player, said winning team trophies such as has always been his goal.
“I think I have said it many times during my career: the Ballon d’Or is a very important award because of what it means,” Messi told Marca at his first press conference since joining Miami.
“For its recognition, it is one of the nicest awards in the world at an individual level. But I never gave importance, in quotation marks, to individual awards. The most important thing was the collective awards.
