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Messi Tips Benzema for 'Deserved' Ballon d'Or

Karim Benzema. (AFP)
Karim Benzema. (AFP)
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Messi Tips Benzema for 'Deserved' Ballon d'Or

Karim Benzema. (AFP)
Karim Benzema. (AFP)

Real Madrid's France star Karim Benezema deserves to win the Ballon d'Or, according to seven-time laureate Lionel Messi.

Benzema was crucial in Madrid's Champions League victory this season, culminating with a 1-0 win over Liverpool in Paris on Saturday, AFP said.

Although he did not score in the final, Benzema's back-to-back hat-tricks in the knock-out rounds, starting with a 17-minute treble against Messi's Paris Saint-Germain to overturn a 2-0 aggregate deficit, were crucial to generating the momentum that swept the Spaniards to the title.

"There's no doubt, it's very clear that Benzema has had a spectacular year and has ended it by winning the Champions League," Messi told Argentine channel TyC Sports.

"He was crucial from the last-16 onwards in every match and I think there's no doubt" that Benzema deserves to win the Ballon d'Or.

Messi was speaking a couple of days ahead of a friendly with Italy at Wembley stadium between two continental champions.

The match between the South American Copa America holders and the European champions, where many Argentines trace their roots, is known as the "Finalissima".

But while Argentina stormed to qualification for the Qatar World Cup later this year with several games to spare, Italy astonishingly missed out after losing to minnows North Macedonia in a play-off.

"What happened with Italy is crazy, having won the Euros and not being at the World Cup, given Italy's history at the World Cup," he said.

"If Italy had been at the World Cup they would have been one of the favorites. They were unlucky. No one would have wanted to play them."

Having spent his entire career at Barcelona, the 34-year-old moved to PSG a year ago where he has struggled to reproduce his best form.

He admitted it had been "a difficult change" and that the first day he took his children to school in Paris he left "crying".

Having caught Covid-19 at the end of 2021, Messi is convinced the virus has left "scars" in his lungs while he also admitted the Champions League capitulation against Real was "a tough blow".

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Gauff Taking a Lot of Positives from her Performance in Madrid Despite Loss

Runner-up Coco Gauff of the USA poses with ther trophy after losing the women's Singles final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Mutua Madrid Open, in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2025. EPA/Chema Moya EPA-EFE/Chema Moya
Runner-up Coco Gauff of the USA poses with ther trophy after losing the women's Singles final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Mutua Madrid Open, in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2025. EPA/Chema Moya EPA-EFE/Chema Moya
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Gauff Taking a Lot of Positives from her Performance in Madrid Despite Loss

Runner-up Coco Gauff of the USA poses with ther trophy after losing the women's Singles final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Mutua Madrid Open, in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2025. EPA/Chema Moya EPA-EFE/Chema Moya
Runner-up Coco Gauff of the USA poses with ther trophy after losing the women's Singles final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Mutua Madrid Open, in Madrid, Spain, 03 May 2025. EPA/Chema Moya EPA-EFE/Chema Moya

Coco Gauff got past the disappointment of losing the Madrid Open final to Aryna Sabalenka and was celebrating a solid week that will make her the top-ranked American woman on Monday.
The 21-year-old Gauff is set to reach No. 3 in the world, moving past countrywoman Jessica Pegula.
"Overall there's a lot of positives to take," The Associated Press quoted Gauff as saying. “Obviously disappointed with maybe how I played (in the final). I feel like I could have showed up better. But I went from an 0-6 set in the first round and made it to the final, so happy with that. Obviously hoping for more next time."
Gauff lost in straight sets — 6-3, 7-6 (3) — to the top-ranked Sabalenka on Saturday. She had started her campaign by rallying to a 0-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Dayana Yastremska, then picked up straight-set wins over Ann Li, Belinda Bencic, Mirra Andreeva and second-ranked Iga Swiatek in the semifinals. Gauff overpowered Swiatek in a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory.
"Speaking on the week as a whole, on the ground I think today was like the only day where I felt really tested, and obviously in my first round, too," Gauff said after the final. "So there’s a lot of positives to take, and I think especially coming maybe from the last few weeks where I didn’t feel as confident on the ground, I think it is a step in the right direction, and just trying to look at the positives of it all. I don’t like losing, first final loss since the French Open, so it’s a feeling that I know I don’t like."
It was only the second loss in a WTA tour final for Gauff, with the other coming against Swiatek at the 2022 French Open.
"I hate losing a lot, and especially in finals, because it’s like you’re so close," Gauff said. “But obviously if I can lose this and go a few more finals undefeated I’ll take that. Each time it’s a learning experience, and maybe I needed to feel this loss again to be motivated again, even more motivated for the next one.”
The 2023 US Open champion squandered a set point at 5-4 in the second set in the final against Sabalenka in Madrid. She lost 17 points in a row at one stage in the first set on the Caja Magica center court. Gauff had four more winners than Sabalenka, but also seven more unforced errors.
“My first serve has been such a weapon this week, so just wish I could have served better (in the final),” Gauff said.