The latest news on Ballon d'Or favourite Erling Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo speaking about Lionel Messi has sparked some reaction from KickOff's readers.
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KickOff's daily readers and commenters continue to react to the latest news.
Stories on a pundit backing Erling Haaland to clinch the Ballon d'Or crown and Cristiano Ronaldo commenting on his rivalry with Lionel Messi has sparked a reaction from KO's international football fans.
Read: Haaland told to 'never go back' to Ballon d'Or awards if Messi wins
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KO Comments
ESPN pundit Craig Burley has urged Erling Haaland to "never go back" to the Ballon d'Or awards if he loses out to Argentina's hero at the World Cup, Lionel Messi.
On Wednesday, organisers of the prestigious award, France Football revealed the 30 nominees who will go head-to-head to be crowned the world's best football later in October, with Messi and Haaland as the favourite.
Former Chelsea midfielder-turned TV analyst, Burley believes that the Norwegian striker is the clear favourite for the award as he played an integral part in helping Manchester City achieve the treble last season.
Burley doesn't underplay seven-time Balon d'Or winner Messi's efforts at the World Cup but feels his form wasn't the best for Ligue 1 side PSG.
Here's how the readers reacted to the "Haaland told to 'never go back' to Ballon d'Or awards if Messi wins" story:
"I sometimes wonder if this accolade is for tops marksman or what because people tend to think that way. Haaland will get his award for scoring the goals yes, and the best ever, Messi will get the golden ball," says phindilendleni89 who added:
"As if Messi stopped when he was consistently robbed his by some unknown man from Portugal."
"In recent times these awards have turned that way. Better they say best goal scorer award," replies Lesoganatsoko.
"Hi Burley, go and ask Modric who must win Ballon d'Or, he won it in 2018 with only 10 goals, less than 20 assists in that year. Messi had over 50 goals and over 20 assists, Ballon d'Or is not just goals, there are a lot of Man City players who did a lot better than Haaland, the guy was just only lucky to have the last touch of the ball before it hits the back of the net.
"Haaland without scoring is useless. it will be an injustice of to our beautiful game if Haaland wins Ballon d'Or and the requirements of the price shall be redefined. if it should be a Man City player, rather go for Rodri, Silva etc," says shabanguntuthuko.
"Believe me when I say it takes more than a final pass to score goals. Composure, positioning, movement that is bending runs, killer instinct. I have seen a lot of strikers missing sitters, ask Nunez, he will tell you how difficult it is to score in EPL, so let's give credit where it's due, this guy broke a record in EPL which has been there for years mind you only less than 10% of his goals were penalties.
"Also, look the teams Man City had to face in order to win Champions League," replies lekhooapks.
"What will be a use for him [Haaland] to go back there? But it won't charge that a new era has began," says siphiwemsibitso.
Read: 'Don't hate...' - Ronaldo makes feelings on Messi known
Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo made his feelings known on his rivalry with Messi, saying it was "good, spectators liked it".
The duo defined the modern game, winning a host of accolades between them and scoring over 800 goals, with their rivalry piquing in LaLiga from 2009 to 2018.
With both players no longer playing in Europe, Ronaldo, whose playing for Al Nassir in Saudi Arabia, feels that his rivalry with Inter Miami's Messi is officially "gone" and encourages those who love him, don't have to dislike Messi.