Difficult to say Messi is better than Ronaldo or Mbappe: Didier Deschamps

Lionel Messi lifted his eighth Ballon d'Or last night

Though the 36-year-old Lionel Messi may have just won his eighth Ballon d'Or, France coach Didier Deschamps isn't quite sure that Messi is the greatest footballer of all time.

After Argentina conquered the World Cup in December, Messi was the clear favourite to win the Ballon d'Or. It is his seventh and perhaps last occasion to win the esteemed title given out by France Football. When it comes to Ballon d'Or victories, no player can match Messi.

The most successful player is Cristiano Ronaldo, with five victories. This year's shortlist for the trophy did not include the Portuguese international.

Messi has accomplished a lot during his career, but Deschamps isn't sure the former Paris Saint-Germain attacker deserves to be regarded as the greatest of all time. The France coach told Futbol Picante this while he was in attendance at the Ballon d'Or presentation on Monday night in Paris.

“The Argentinians [say that Messi is the best of all time]. He is one of them, but is difficult to say that Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo or Kylian Mbappé, who is younger.” 

Though he hasn't yet taken home the Ballon d'Or, Mbappé achieved his best rating on Monday, coming in third below Messi and Erling Haaland of Manchester City.

No individual had ever won the Ballon d'Or in addition to Messi, who did it in 2009 and then subsequently in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021, even before Monday's presentation in Paris.

Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, and Cristiano Ronaldo have each won it three times, with Ronaldo having won it five times.

Prior to joining Inter Miami this year, Messi netted 21 goals in 41 games as Paris Saint-Germain won the Ligue 1 championship the previous season.