Former Barcelona hero, Hristo Stoichkov has stated that Real Madrid midfielder, Jude Bellingham did not deserve to win the 2023 golden boy award.
The five-time La Liga champion claimed that Bellingham had done nothing to earn this distinction. And that, as Gavi was ineligible, players like Alejandro Balde and Jamal Musiala were more deserving of it than the English midfielder.
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“Since Gavi was not eligible by regulation, the award should have been given to Musiala or Balde,” he said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo and reported by Madrid Universal.
Although, the Bulgarian likens Bellingham to three distinct personalities, Michael Laudrup, Kaka, and Paul Pogba, he did not accomplish anything in 2023 to warrant the honor.
“I do not dispute Bellingham’s value. He is one of the strongest talents in the world: he has a lot of class and a lot of brain. For me, he is a mix between Laudrup, Kaka, and Paul Pogba,” he said.
“The future is his. He will fight with [Kylian] Mbappe and [Erling] Haaland for the next Ballon d’Or, but I would like to know what he won in 2023 between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid. Nothing.”
In validating his assertion, he cited Bayern Munich’s victorious season the previous season, which was a close race. Both Bayern and Borussia Dortmund needed to win on the last matchday.
Although the latter fulfilled their wish, Dortmund could only manage a draw. Hence the Bavarians prevailed in the title based on goal difference.
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“Borussia Dortmund had a two-point lead over Bayern when there were 90 minutes left in the championship. They were playing at home against Mainz, while the Bavarians were in Cologne.
“What happened with five minutes left? [Thomas] Tuchel introduced Musiala, who in the final stretch scored the 3- 2 for Bayern while Borussia did not go beyond a 2-2 draw at home and goodbye to the title due to goal difference,” he argued.
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