![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/67\/590x\/secondary\/Erling-Haaland-4947854.jpg?r=1694085264209\")
<\/p>\nErling Haaland has been urged to boycott the Ballon d’Or if he is not given the 2023 award. The Norwegian goal machine won this year’s prestigious European Golden Shoe after finding the back of the net 52 times in all competitions for Manchester City.<\/p>\n
He also broke Mohamed Salah’s record for the most amount of goals scored in a single Premier League season with 35. Yet many believe Lionel Messi will get his hands on the prize for his heroics at the World Cup despite spending a portion of this year in the MLS with Inter Miami while also returning one of his worst seasons in terms of goal contributions at PSG.<\/p>\n
The 36-year-old has won the Ballon d’Or a record seven times and is the bookies’ favourite to secure an eighth this year but ex-Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley believes Haaland is more deserving of the award.\u00a0\u201cIf Erling Haaland doesn\u2019t win this, close the shop,\u201d Burley told ESPN.<\/p>\n
\u201cLionel Messi won the World Cup and it\u2019s a great achievement, but it\u2019s a four-week period. His general league form was not the best. PSG were terrible. Erling Haaland? Over 50 goals, a Premier League title, the FA Cup, and the Champions League. Erling Haaland should win this award.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI know that a lot of people out there can\u2019t get off the Messi bandwagon but look at the bigger picture. There\u2019s going to be a lot of muppet journos voting for Messi. The big picture here is that Erling Haaland achieved everything over a long period of time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis award, like a few awards, drives me nuts but he\u2019s the one that deserves it but I think out there it will be full of sentimental claptrap – Messi won the World Cup, Messi\u2019s this and Messi\u2019s that, and they will just hand him another one.<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n “And if I was Erling Haaland, I would never go back to another Ballon d\u2019Or in my life, same as Robert Lewandowski.\u201d Similar questions were raised about favouritism towards Messi in 2021 when he pipped Robert Lewandowski to the accolade.<\/p>\n The ex-Bayern hitman had missed out on the award the year before when it was cancelled due to Covid but it was expected he would win it the following year after netting 48 times in 40 appearances for the Bavarian giants. However, it wasn’t to be.\u00a0<\/p>\n Further controversy arose when it was revealed Messi had not included Lewandowski in his top three\u00a0players in the world for 2021. Speaking of Messi’s selection in the immediate aftermath, Lewandowski said: “Those were very nice words from Messi at the Ballon d’Or. Now with his choice \u2013 you have to ask him the question!”<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
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