Khabib thinks two players deserved Ballon d’Or over Lionel Messi

<h4><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;">Khabib Nurmagomedov believes that either Robert Lewandowski or Karim Benzema&comma; rather than Lionel Messi&comma; deserved to win the Ballon d&&num;8217&semi;Or this year&period;<&sol;span><&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;">The accolade was given to the Paris Saint-Germain talisman at the end of last month&comma; ahead of Lewandowski and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;"><img class&equals;"aligncenter wp-image-15573 size-full" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;thedailypage&period;ng&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2021&sol;12&sol;Lionel-Messi&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Lionel Messi" width&equals;"1200" height&equals;"629" &sol;><&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;">Messi has now won the award seven times&comma; two more than his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo&comma; who is now based in England&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;">Nurmagomedov&comma; a retired MMA fighter&comma; believes Lewandowski&comma; a Polish striker&comma; should have won the award&comma; citing his incredible 120-goal haul over the last two years&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;">He noted that he would give the award to one if Lewandoski or Benzema&comma; specifically naming Lewandoski&comma; due to his performance in the last three years&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;">Despite the fact that many questioned his rating&comma; Messi had another fantastic year for both club and country&comma; helping Argentina win their first major trophy in a long time when they won the Copa America&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;">The brilliant Argentinian also helped his boyhood club Barcelona win the Copa del Rey for the second time&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;">After organizers France Football decided to cancel the award last year owing to the severity of the coronavirus pandemic&comma; Messi retained his Ballon d&&num;8217&semi;Or trophy&comma; which was last awarded in 2019&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span style&equals;"font-size&colon; 14pt&semi;">If the trophy had been given last year&comma; Lewandowski would have won it after a fantastic year in which he scored 64 goals across all competitions&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;