Adrien Rabiot snubs Lionel Messi in Ballon d'Or prediction

The Argentine icon is in contention to win the eighth Ballon d’Or of his career this year.

Adrien Rabiot believes Lionel Messi will not win this year’s Ballon d’Or despite winning the World Cup.

Messi realized his dream of lifting the World Cup trophy by leading Argentina to the title in Qatar. The 35-year-old’s excellent performances for the Albiceleste earned him the tournament’s Golden Ball after a thrilling final against France.

However, Rabiot believes the former Barcelona star is not the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or.

“I hear a lot of people saying Messi will win it,” he said to RMC Sport.

“But on a sporting level, it will be between Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Saying which one of those two will be difficult, depends what it’s based on. No one ever agrees, but it will be between those two. I exclude everyone else.”

Mbappe played a crucial role in France’s advance to the final, where he scored a hat-trick. Haaland, on the other hand, won the treble with Manchester City in his debut season at the club.

According to the bookmakers, Messi is the top candidate to win the Ballon d’Or this year. The prestigious award would be Messi’s perfect farewell to top-level football as he spends the final years of his career at Inter Miami.