Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina, has stated that it will be great if he wins the Ballon d’Or in 2023.

Among the leading contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or are Messi and Erling Haaland of Manchester City.

Last weekend, the 35-year-old traveled to Beijing, China on a private jet and was met there by hundreds of ecstatic followers.

Messi was interviewed by Chinese journalists on a Chinese streaming platform to discuss the Ballon d’Or, the World Cup, and Man City boss Pep Guardiola.

Messi is scheduled to captain Argentina against Australia in a friendly next week.

When asked about this year’s Ballon d’Or, Messi said, “Ballon d’Or? At this point in my career, if it comes, it’s good and if it doesn’t, nothing happens.”

“Does the Ballon d’Or matter to me? No, at this stage in my life, it is no longer important to me. I have always said that individual prizes are not what matters to me but the collective ones are the most important to me. The most important prize at the moment is the World Cup. This is the greatest prize for me.”