De Paul dismisses Mbappe-Yamal rivalry: Ballon d'Or for Messi

Argentine star Rodrigo De Paul has put the debate over the Ballon d’Or to rest, arguing that Lionel Messi’s ninth win for the award is a foregone conclusion and beyond dispute.

The Inter Miami and Argentina midfielder believes that his captain’s performance at the recent World Cup places him above any comparison, despite being 39 years old.

Messi delivered an exceptional tournament by all measures, serving as the key factor in Argentina’s run to the final. He scored eight goals and provided four assists in eight matches, leading the Tango to a new dream.

The race for the award has recently narrowed down to Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, but De Paul dismissed all that and endorsed his teammate.

When asked who would win the Ballon d’Or, De Paul answered without hesitation: “For me, there is no debate about this. No one has ever achieved such a feat at the World Cup. Leo did it at the age of 39!”

He added: “He competed against the best players of all time and became the best player at the World Cup. There is no doubt about that.”

Thus, Messi may be set to write history once again when the winner of the prestigious Ballon d’Or is announced on October 26, as he seeks to claim the award for the ninth time.