Nestor Lorenzo, the head coach of the Colombia national team, has delivered a resounding defense of Lionel Messi after the Argentine superstar was conspicuously omitted from the 2024 Ballon d’Or shortlist, declaring that the iconic forward remains the “best of all time” regardless of official nominations.
Speaking to journalists this week, Lorenzo—who is Argentine by birth—revealed that he had cast his vote for the prestigious France Football award with absolute certainty, only to be swiftly corrected by the organizers. When he submitted Messi’s name, he was told the Inter Miami captain was not among the final 30 nominees.
Unfazed by the technicality, Lorenzo unleashed a blunt rebuttal. “How can he not be in the running?” Lorenzo asked rhetorically. “As long as Messi steps onto the pitch, he is one of the world’s best players, the best of all time. So, what he does doesn’t surprise me at all.”
A historic omission
The controversy centers on this year’s Ballon d’Or nomination list, which notably excluded Messi for the first time since 2005. Despite leading Argentina to the 2024 Copa América title and winning the 2023 Ballon d’Or, the 37-year-old was overlooked by the voting panel, sparking widespread debate across the footballing world. Critics pointed to his age and his shift to Major League Soccer as potential factors, though his statistics tell a vastly different story—Messi has been instrumental in Inter Miami’s historic 2024 Supporters’ Shield triumph, breaking multiple league records for assists and goal contributions.
A fascinating footballing connection
Lorenzo’s defense carries unique weight. As an Argentine tactician, he shares a deep cultural and generational link to the nation’s footballing legacy. In his playing days, Lorenzo was a teammate of Diego Maradona during the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Now, as the manager of the Colombian national side, he is intimately familiar with Messi’s threat, having faced the Argentine captain in the 2024 Copa América final just months ago. Although Lorenzo’s Colombia pushed the reigning champions to the limit, ultimately falling in extra time, the loss did not diminish his respect for Messi—it fortified it.
‘No surprise’
Lorenzo’s comments also underscore a broader sentiment within international football: that formal award cycles are increasingly disconnected from the on-field reality. “I was asked to vote for the best player in the world, and I chose Messi,” he reiterated. “They told me he wasn’t on the list. But it is impossible to ignore what he represents for the sport. His genius is not a fleeting moment—it is a constant.”
While Messi may not lift the Ballon d’Or in October, Lorenzo’s assertion resonates across the global game: the player’s legacy does not require a trophy to validate it. And, as Lorenzo so bluntly put it, the fact that Messi continues to perform at a supernatural level at 37 should shock absolutely no one.
