Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland deserves to win this year’s Ballon d’Or but claimed that biggest rival Lionel Messi should have a monopoly on the trophy.
Haaland and seven-time winner Messi are the frontrunners to lift the crown in Paris later this month.
The Manchester City manager was clearly torn between last season’s 52-goal striker during the historic Treble and the greatest player he has ever coached.
‘I always said that the Ballon d'Or had to be two sections: one for Messi and one for the others,’ Guardiola said.