Jude Bellingham will face Lionel Messi in a World Cup semi-final, and the England star's reaction to a Ballon d'Or snub in 2023 reveals his deep respect for the Argentine legend. Messi omitted Bellingham from his top Kopa Trophy candidate pick, but Bellingham still endorsed Messi for the main award.
World Cup Semi-Final Showdown
England and Argentina are set to renew their rivalry in the World Cup semi-finals, with a spot in the final against Spain at stake. Both Messi and Bellingham have been their teams' standout performers. Messi leads the World Cup scoring charts with eight goals, level with Kylian Mbappe, while Bellingham's six goals from open play set an England record. He was instrumental in dragging England past Norway in the quarter-finals.
The 2023 Ballon d'Or Snub
At the 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony, Messi won his record eighth Ballon d'Or after Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph. Bellingham won the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player. The Kopa vote involved 32 former Ballon d'Or winners ranking their top three. Messi surprisingly placed Bellingham third, behind Jamal Musiala and Pedri. Despite this, Bellingham won the Kopa decisively with 90 points.
Bellingham said: "It is a great list of players. It is an honour to be in front of some of the best players in the world here and some of the best to have ever played the game. To win this trophy means a lot, but for me, the important thing is team trophies and the important thing for me is to kick on and help Real Madrid and England win trophies for many years."
Bellingham's Respectful Response
When asked about the Ballon d'Or, Bellingham did not return the snub. He said: "It's World Cup year and Lionel Messi had a fantastic World Cup, he deserves to win the Ballon d'Or." This was despite his former Borussia Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland also being a contender. Bellingham's praise underscores his respect for Messi, but all friendliness will be set aside when they clash at Atlanta Stadium.
