Brazil president uses Messi's Ballon d'Or win to take swipe at national team
Brazil's president has used Lionel Messi's Ballon d'Or win to question when Brazilian kids will have an idol of their own to look up to.
Messi edged out Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Kevin De Bruyne, and Rodri to secure the No. 8 Ballon d'Or award of his career as the Inter Miami superstar became the first MLS player ever to win the prize and the only player to win it eight times. The award's prestige and recipient, Messi, sparked global conversations, including with Brazil's top politician.
In a discussion with Metropoles, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, aka 'Lula', noted the absence of Brazilian players from the winners list. "A man who is 36 years old. He was [the] World Champion. He won [the World Cup] last year and this year also the Ballon d'Or. He should be an inspiration for those players who appear on TV and soon disappear. How many years ago that Brazil doesn't have a real idol?" he questioned.
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No Brazilian player has clinched the award since Kaka's 2007 victory, a significant moment in football history. This triumph came at the peak of Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi's rivalry as they vied for the title of the greatest player ever, making Kaka's achievement even more noteworthy.
Brazil have secured five Ballon d'Or wins through players like Kaka, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Rivaldo. This tally still lags behind Argentina and Messi with eight awards, and France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Portugal, each with seven wins. Neymar Jr came closest to winning the award in 2015 and 2017 but finished in third place.
Lula added: "Anyone who wants to win the Ballon d'Or has to dedicate themselves, they have to be professional. It doesn't go with partying. It doesn't go with a night out." Given Neymar's status as the closest Brazilian to potentially achieve the award and his previous remark during his time at PSG saying that he would never stop partying and that he is not immature, it is possible the message was directed at him.
Messi became the first MLS player to win the award (AFP via Getty Images)In the past three seasons, Vinicius Junior has emerged as a standout talent for the Brazilian national team and one of Europe's top attackers. Lula had shown his support for Vini Jr when the player faced racial abuse during a Real Madrid 1-0 loss to Valencia. The match was temporarily halted due to fan heckling aimed at the winger.
"It is not fair that a poor boy who is winning in his life, becoming one of the best in the world, certainly the best at Real Madrid, is insulted in every stadium he goes to," Lula said. The Brazillian forward also took home silverware during the 2023 ballon d'Or ceremony, winning the Socrates Trophy for the player most involved with charity and facing societal issues.
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