Messi deserves the Ballon d´Or every year – Suarez

Luis Suarez believes his Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi deserves to win the Ballon d’Or every single year.

Messi has won the award – which is voted for by international managers and captains, as well as journalists – five times over the course of his career, more than any other player.

But three of the last four have been clinched by Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, taking the Portugal star to within one of Messi in what has become arguably the greatest player rivalry in football history.

Suarez, though, is under no illusion as to which of the pair he thinks is the best.

“All players dream of winning [the Ballon d’Or],” the Uruguayan told France Football.

3 – La Liga players with most goals in 2017 (all comps):
Lionel Messi 15
Luis Suárez 12
ANTOINE GRIEZMANN 10
Prince. https://t.co/UZpjRbluB7

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 5, 2017

“But today, there is one player who deserves to win it every year, and it is Leo [Messi].

“Then, if there is another who aspires to win it, it is Neymar. He has the qualities to win it.”

Individually Barca possess many of the world’s best players, but as a team they find themselves in a tricky situation.

Luis Enrique’s men host Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie on Wednesday trailing 4-0 on aggregate, but Suarez is not giving up hope, insisting that if anyone can come back from such a score, it is Barca.

“There is a return leg to play,” Suarez said. “We will do everything to put across a different perception of Barca and show people what the real Barcelona is .

“It will be difficult to reverse the situation, but not impossible. If any team can overthrow such a score, it is Barca. We have the qualities and the character to get out of this complicated situation.”