<p>This past week saw the unveiling of the Ballon D’or shortlist, and many were startled to see Cristiano Ronaldo, a Portuguese striker, left off for the first time in 20 years.</p>
<p>Most people were certain that Messi would use this chance to win an eighth Ballon D’Or and extend his legend. However, everyone is aware that the Argentine’s future is still unclear since Erling Haaland, another undisputed talent, stands in his way.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-174453″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-launched-in-india-in-2023-the-honda-cb300f-is-priced-from-rs-1-70-lakh-download-20.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com launched in india in 2023 the honda cb300f is priced from rs 1 70 lakh download 20″ width=”1489″ height=”834″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-launched-in-india-in-2023-the-honda-cb300f-is-priced-from-rs-1-70-lakh-download-20.jpg 300w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-launched-in-india-in-2023-the-honda-cb300f-is-priced-from-rs-1-70-lakh-download-20-150×84.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 1489px) 100vw, 1489px” title=”On Beating Messi To The Ballon d'Or, Erling Haaland 3″></p>
<p>Messi’s World Cup victory, which had escaped him his whole career, was spectacular and otherworldly, but Haaland’s insatiable need for goals left the world in awe.</p>
<p>The imposing Norwegian striker scored a mind-boggling 56 goals for Manchester City this past season, helping them win the illusive Champions League for the first time. And it has been this demonstration of pure attacking skill that has stoked the fierce argument about who is more deserving of the Ballon d’Or.</p>
<p>Now that the striker has addressed the issue and made his position, we know where Haaland stands on the controversy.</p>
<p>Haaland claimed he would wager on himself when rumours of a first Ballon d’Or victory surfaced during an interview with the French magazine L’Equipe.</p>
<p>“Because I’m still young, I know I have a long way to go. However, I do think I have a shot this year, Haaland stated.</p>
<p>The Manchester City forward went on a scoring spree in his debut season in the Premier League, scoring 36 goals in 35 games and easily shattering Alan Shearer’s previous record of 35 goals, which had stood for over 20 years.</p>
<p>As a result, when asked whether he thinks he’s the finest striker in the world, Haaland coyly said, “In my opinion… Everything depends on how we define a striker. It’s a ruse, that inquiry. Without a doubt, I am there. Do I excel? Maybe.”</p>
<p>However, one thing is clear about Haaland: he wants to be accepted for who he is.</p>
<p>By saying, “I’d like people to remember me as a special player, in the way I play,” he restored the unwavering confidence he had in himself. Showing exceptional content is what I aim to accomplish every week.</p>
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