"Erling Haaland Could Beat Lionel Messi To Ballon d'Or If Man City Win Treble": Ex-Liverpool Star

Manchester City are on a rampant run, both in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. Though Man City have emerged as a well-oiled machine, it's the performances from Erling Haaland that are pushing them to achieve unprecedented heights this season. In fact, Haaland has been so prolific this season that many feel he is a top candidate for Ballon d'Or this year, especially if the Cityzens go on win the treble. Former Liverpool man Don Hutchinson feels Haaland or Kevin de Bruyne could go on to beat Lionel Messi to the top podium spot if Man City do go on to win three big trophies this season.

In a chat with NDTV during a select media call arranged by the Sony Sports Network, Hutchinson admitted that both Haaland and De Bruyne are in the race to win the Ballon d'Or this year. He feels though Messi won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina last year, he might go on to lose the Ballon d'Or to one of the Man City players.

Q: Lionel Messi won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina. But, if Manchester City win the treble this season, would Erling Haaland or Kevin de Bruyne have a chance of beating Messi to the top podium spot when it comes to the Ballon d'Or and FIFA Best awards?

I think so. I think if Erling Haaland breaks the goalscoring record, which he seems to be doing this season, and walks away with the treble this season, having smashed most goalscoring records, along with the three trophies, I wouldn't imagine it would be anyone else rather than a Man City player. There's De Bruyne but Haaland is probably edging because of the impact he has had in English football, in his first season, which is phenomenal. If he goes on to break the Premier League goalscoring record and Dixie Dean's greatest of all time record of all