If Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger had his way, Argentine international Lionel Messi, would not have won the Ballon d’Or award for 2012. The Barcelona ace clinched the title for the fourth time in a ceremony that took place in Zürich ahead of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Andres Iniesta – a title the Frenchman believes should have gone to either of Real Madrid’s Ronaldo or fellow Barca midfiled maestro, Iniesta.
“No, not this year,” the Gunners boss told the Arsenal Magazine. “For me Messi is certainly the best player I have ever seen in the game, but I believe that this year he has really been rewarded for what he did individually, rather than what he won for his team.
“For once he has not been in a team that won absolutely everything. He did not win the Champions League, he did not win the Spanish league and he didn’t win anything with his country, but individually it’s true he had an exceptional year, scoring 91 goals.
“I believe he has been rewarded for that, but for me I’m more a fan of collective sport, so I feel people like [Iker] Casillas, [Cristiano] Ronaldo – who won the championship – and especially [Andres] Iniesta deserved it more.
“He’s always number two or three, but he won the European Championship with Spain – he could have deserved it this year.”
