Didn’t Lionel Messi legitimately win the Ballon d’Or in 2021? Any rumors are currently circulating in France.
WHAT HAPPENED? Like the French newspaper The world Reportedly, Paris Saint-Germain is currently under investigation for bribery. The focus is on the Ballon d’Or in 2021, which Lionel Messi won back then.
WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND? Accordingly, PSG communications director Jean-Martial Ribes told the former editor-in-chief of France Football (responsible for presenting the award), Pascal Ferré, offered “various gifts” so that Messi could win the prize.
Ribes made Ferre’s choice in favor of the Argentine attractive with VIP tickets for games, luxury trips with PSG sponsor Qatar Airways and other benefits.
Among other things, there are said to have been invitations to the game against BVB in the Champions League during the corona pandemic and a business class flight for just under 9,000 euros in March 2021. There are also messages that Ribes is said to have sent to President Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
In this it was sometimes said that it “it was necessary to do lobbying work” and there would be a meal together with Ferré.
But that’s not all: According to the report, Ribes is said to have also provided politicians and artists with tickets and favors. The allegations: “corruption” and “influence peddling”.
Meanwhile, it is not known whether there is a direct connection between Al-Khelaifi and the bribes in the Messi election.
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS: At that time, Messi won with 613 votes, just ahead of ex-Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski (580). The outcry that the Pole did not receive the coveted award despite an outstanding year in Munich was huge.
At that time, Lewandowski had broken Gerd Müller’s record and scored 41 goals in the Bundesliga. With FCB he won the championship and the Club World Cup. Messi triumphed with Argentina in the Copa América, but only won the Spanish Cup with FC Barcelona after a disappointing season.
In the summer, the current player moved from Inter Miami to PSG, but was only partially convincing in Paris. Nevertheless, it was enough to win the Ballon d’Or for the seventh time to date.
THE PICTURES FOR THE NEWS:
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2024-01-07 11:20:27
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