Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni gave an unorthodox opinion on who would be the possible winner of the Ballon d’Or. France Football magazine’s award for the best player in the world will be handed out on the 28th, with Vinicius Junior as the main favorite, but the world champion coach believes that striker Lautaro Martínez, from Inter Milan and Albiceleste, should be the winner . After all, does the reasoning make sense?
— He (Lautaro) had a spectacular year, he scored in the final, he was the top scorer at the Copa América and he deserves this more than anyone else to win the Ballon d’Or. I hope he gets it, he’s a boy I really appreciate and I hope they give him that opportunity, and if not now, it will come later because he still has a huge future ahead of him — said Scaloni in a press conference before the clash with Bolivia, for the Qualifiers.
Scaloni spoke about Lautaro at a press conference — Photo: LUIS ROBAYO / AFP
The numbers show that, in fact, Lautaro had a great season for club and country, in which he scored 35 goals and provided 4 assists in 60 games. However, is the performance enough to stand out among the 30 finalists for the award, including the favorites? GLOBO compiled the numbers and honors for the 2023/24 season (award evaluation period) for the Argentine and names like Vinicius Junior, Rodri, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé.
Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan/Argentina):
- Numbers: 35 goals and 4 assists in 60 games (8 goals and 3 assists in 16 games for the national team)
- Titles: Italian Super Cup, Italian Championship, Copa América
- Individual awards: Top scorer in the Italian Championship (24 goals) and Top scorer in the Copa América (5 goals)
Lautaro Martínez, from Inter Milan — Photo: JUAN MABROMATA / AFP
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/Brazil):
- Numbers: 26 goals and 11 assists in 49 games (2 goals and 9 assists in 10 games for the national team)
- Titles: Champions League, Spanish Championship and Spanish Super Cup
- Individual awards: Best Champions League Player, Champions League Team and FIFA Team of the Year
Vinicius Junior, from Real Madrid — Photo: Glyn KIRK / AFP
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/Inglaterra)
- Numbers: 26 goals and 15 assists in 53 games (3 goals and 13 assists in 11 games for the national team)
- Titles: Champions League, Spanish Championship and Spanish Super Cup
- Individual awards: Golden Boy, Best Young Player of the Champions League, Champions Team and FIFA Team of the Year
Bellingham, from Real Madrid — Photo: JAVIER SORIANO / AFP
Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway)
- Numbers: 45 goals and 6 assists in 52 games (7 goals and 6 assists in 7 games for the national team)
- Titles: UEFA Super Cup and Premier League
- Individual awards: Premier League top scorer (27 goals) and FIFA Team of the Year
Haaland, atacante do Manchester City — Photo: KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP
Kylian Mbappé (PSG*/French)
- Numbers: 51 goals and 18 assists in 61 games (7 goals and 10 assists in 13 games for the national team)
- Titles: French Championship, French Cup and French Super Cup
- Individual awards: Top scorer in the French Championship (27 goals), FIFA Team of the Year, Top scorer in the Champions League (8 goals)
*Competes for the season at PSG; Today, he plays for Real Madrid
Mbappé, from Real Madrid — Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP
Rodri (Manchester City/Spain)
- Numbers: 12 goals and 14 assists in 63 games (3 goals and 13 assists in 13 games for the national team)
- Titles: Club World Cup, Euro Cup, Premier League
- Individual awards: Best player of the European Cup, Euro Cup selection and Golden Ball of the Club World Cup
Rodri, from Manchester City — Photo: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England)
- Numbers: 51 goals and 13 assists in 58 games (7 goals and 12 assists in 13 games for the national team)
- Titles: None
- Individual awards: UEFA Golden Boot (36 goals), Bundesliga Top Scorer (36 goals) and Champions League squad
Harry Kane, from Bayern Munich — Photo: Alexandra BEIER / AFP
Lionel Scaloni’s Bold Ballon d’Or Prediction: Lautaro Martínez Over Vinicius Junior?
Well, folks, hold onto your hats! Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni, has thrown a spanner into the works by suggesting his striker Lautaro Martínez should clinch the coveted Ballon d’Or. Is the lad having a laugh, or does he genuinely believe Lautaro is worthy of that golden ball? After all, the Football world is a fickle beast, much like my sense of humor—hit or miss, but always entertaining!
Scaloni, clearly a guy who appreciates talent, pointed out Lautaro’s impressive stats this past season: 35 goals (yes, you read that correctly) and four assists in 60 matches. Add in his heroics at the Copa América where he not only lit up the scoreboard but also strung together a couple of trophies, and you can see why Scaloni’s rooting for his boy. It’s like a dad promoting his kid in the school play, even if they’re just a tree! “He scored in the final,” Scaloni exclaimed. “He was the top scorer at Copa América…I hope he gets it!” Well, coach, with such enthusiastic support, Lautaro’s going to need sunglasses – at this rate, he’ll be shining brighter than a fresh silver trophy!
The Numbers: A Comparison of the Contenders
Now, while champions get their share of glory, let’s not forget the names on the list that sounds like a lineup for a superhero squad: Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappé. Each of them has, let’s be honest, qualifications that make them look like they’ve been drinking from the Fountain of Youth. Let’s take a gander at their glorious stats, shall we?
Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan/Argentina)
- Numbers: 35 goals and 4 assists in 60 games
- National Team Stats: 8 goals and 3 assists in 16 games
- Titles: Italian Super Cup, Italian Championship, Copa América
- Individual Awards: Top scorer in the Italian Championship (24 goals) and Copa América (5 goals)
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/Brazil)
- Numbers: 26 goals and 11 assists in 49 games
- National Team Stats: 2 goals and 9 assists in 10 games
- Titles: Champions League, Spanish Championship, Spanish Super Cup
- Individual Awards: Best Champions League Player
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
- Numbers: 26 goals and 15 assists in 53 games
- National Team Stats: 3 goals and 13 assists in 11 games
- Titles: Champions League, Spanish Championship, Spanish Super Cup
- Individual Awards: Golden Boy, Best Young Player of the Champions League
Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway)
- Numbers: 45 goals and 6 assists in 52 games
- National Team Stats: 7 goals and 6 assists in 7 games
- Titles: UEFA Super Cup, Premier League
- Individual Awards: Premier League top scorer (27 goals)
Kylian Mbappé (PSG/French)
- Numbers: 51 goals and 18 assists in 61 games
- National Team Stats: 7 goals and 10 assists in 13 games
- Titles: French Championship, French Cup, French Super Cup
- Individual Awards: Top scorer in the French Championship (27 goals)
Rodri (Manchester City/Spain)
- Numbers: 12 goals and 14 assists in 63 games
- National Team Stats: 3 goals and 13 assists in 13 games
- Titles: Club World Cup, Euro Cup, Premier League
- Individual Awards: Best player of the European Cup
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England)
- Numbers: 51 goals and 13 assists in 58 games
- National Team Stats: 7 goals and 12 assists in 13 games
- Titles: None
- Individual Awards: UEFA Golden Boot (36 goals)
So, there we have it! Lautaro certainly has made a name for himself, but competing against these footballing titans? It’s like showing up to a knife fight with a plastic spoon—utterly brave, but good luck with that! Still, one can’t ignore the petulance of Barça fans knowing their cake is being taken by an Inter Milan lad and a Madrid prodigy!
The Final Whistle
The Ballon d’Or drama unfolds, just like a soap opera but without the overly dramatic music and dubious plot twists. Will Lautaro Martínez steal the show, or will Vinicius Junior’s Champions League heroics tip the scale in his favor? The suspense is as thick as a Premier League referee’s sense of humor: unyielding and decidedly absent.
As we gear up for the big exhibition of inflated egos and golden balls, let’s just hope that whoever wins gives a speech that’s as entertaining as this news cycle has been. Because honestly, footballers should stick to kicking balls and leave the comedy to the professionals. Cheers to the beautiful game!
