Lionel Messi has solidified his place as the greatest of all time once again, after the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner gets the edge over the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr. in a Brazilian survey.
The survey was hosted by CNN/ Itatiaia/ Quaest to find the best player in the world. The given options were Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland.
Messi received a whopping 40 percent of the votes, while Ronaldo and Neymar both received 14 percent each. Mbappe received only six percent of the votes. Vinicius and Haaland had four and two percent of the votes, respectively.
The current captain of reigning WC-winning team won the survey with a huge margin, getting a total of 40% of the votes. CR7 and Neymar both received 24% votes, while Mbappe received only 6%. The remaining players got the rest of the votes, with Vini getting 4% and Haaland getting 2%.
The survey has also given some insight into some statistics. 44% of male voters opted for the Argentinian, while only 36% of female voters chose him.
The diversity became even more intriguing with people of different ages. Messi received 39% of the vote from the 16-30 age bracket, with Cristiano Ronaldo coming in at a distant second with 18%. Between the ages of 31 and 50, Messi received 44% of the vote, while Ronaldo received 13%. Messi was the top pick among voters aged 51 and up with 35% of the vote, while Ronaldo came in second with 12%.
So, despite coming from a rival nation, Messi was the more popular player among people of all ages in Brazil, even more so than their own Neymar Jr.
Haaland and Mbappe will be the next generation after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
The inclusion of these two in the survey should not raise any eyebrows. Since their debut, these two players have been setting the pitch on fire with their exceptional skills and impressive performances.
Erling Haaland is breaking records for fun this season. He has scored 47 goals in just 40 games across all competitions this season. Mbappe has also proven his supremacy in the pitch, playing 2 World Cup finals consecutively with France, winning the one in 2018. The 24-year old French forward has recently been appointed as the captain of the French national team.
As Ronaldo and Messi near the end of their illustrious careers, Haaland and Mbappe are poised to take the reins as the next generation of football legends. With their talent and potential, it’s no wonder that these two are being hailed as the future of football.
