Ballon d'Or 2024: Lionel Scaloni says Lautaro Martinez 'deserves it more than anyone' after 'spectacular year'
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Updated 15/10/2024 at 12:50 GMT+1
Lautaro Martinez had the season of his life in 2023/24 and his Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni believes it was enough to earn the striker the Ballon d'Or. The Inter star was named on the 30-man shortlist after finishing as Serie A and Copa America top scorer, winning both competitions. "Lautaro deserves it more than anyone," Scaloni said. "He has had a spectacular year."
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Lautaro Martinez “deserves the Ballon d’Or more than anyone”, according to Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni, who hailed the striker for his “spectacular year”.
Inter striker Martinez excelled for club and country in the 2023/24 season to earn a place on the 30-man shortlist for the coveted annual prize.
That included scoring the winner and claiming the golden boot as Argentina lifted the Copa America in the summer.
Scaloni believes those feats should put Martinez among the favourites to win this year’s prize.
“Lautaro deserves the Ballon d’Or more than anyone,” Scaloni said at a press conference.
“He has had a spectacular year. [At the Copa America] he scored in the final, and he was top scorer … I hope it can be given to him."
Martinez finished as Serie A top scorer last season with a career-best haul of 24 league goals as the Nerazzurri claimed the Scudetto.
He also won the league’s MVP award for player of the season, before taking that form into the Copa America with Argentina.
Martinez scored a tournament-high five goals to help his country retain the title, including an extra-time winner in a 1-0 victory over Colombia in the final.
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After a slow start to 2024/25, the 27-year-old has scored three goals and produced three assists in his last four games for Inter.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place on Monday, October 28 in Paris.
Martinez’s Argentina team-mate, Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, was also nominated on the shortlist, along with his club-mate Hakan Calhanoglu.
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There is certain to be a new winner this year after record eight-time holder Lionel Messi failed to gain a nomination, along with five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo.
Some of the leading contenders to win the men’s Ballon d’Or include Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Junior, and Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham.
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