Ballon d'Or Chief Pascal Ferre Slams Leaked Reports, Terms Them as 'Nonsense'

Football may be a team effort, but the Ballon d’Or – the sports highest individual honour not only keeps the players but also the fans on tenterhooks every year. A panel of 53 sports journalists will choose the winner of the Ballon d’Or award this year and the last votes were recorded two weeks ago. Even though the award ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on November 29, in the meantime rumour mills are rife with several big names from the sport in the fray to win the prestigious accolade in 2021.

While two greatest footballers of the modern era – Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi not being the top contenders to take the golden ball award home this time around. However, Portuguese media outlet RTP created a stir by reporting that Messi had snatched the award again following his spectacular performances for club and country. The report also cited that the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) new signee has been informed by France Football, the French magazine that gives out the prestigious award.

Meanwhile, Pascal Ferre, the editor-in-chief of the French publication slammed all such speculations. In a recent interview with German publication Sport Bild, Ferre called RTP’s report rubbish and denied that Messi has already been informed, he will be receiving his seventh golden ball award.

“That’s a lot of bulls**t we’ve seen in the last ten days. A big bluff,” Ferre told the German media outlet.

Earlier last month another ‘leaked list’ claimed that FC Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski is the top contender to take the trophy home this year. The list also shows the new PSG star Messi, who won his first international title this year, is behind in the second spot.

Other players featured in that list include Real Madrid talisman Karim Benzema at third, Egyptian star Mohamed Salah in the fourth place, another PSG star Kylian Mbappe, Chelsea midfielders Jorginho and N’Golo Kante among others, but it seems as though the award will come down to Lewandowski and Messi.

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how things will pan out in the race for the Ballon d’Or this year.