The French newspaper Le Monde revealed the existence of an investigation into possible bribery attempts by PSG to ensure that Lionel Messi, then a player at the club, won the 2021 Ballon d’Or. The investigation focuses on offers made to the former -France Football editor-in-chief Pascal Ferré, including tickets and travel provided by Qatar Airways.
After huge investments in players like Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, the Parisian club was unable to achieve the desired success in the Champions League, which led to the signing of Messi. The Argentine star, who joined PSG in 2021, was awarded his seventh Ballon d’Or less than six months after his arrival.
French authorities are now investigating whether there were attempts to influence the award to Messi through favors granted to Pascal Ferré. In addition to VIP tickets and trips, other perks are under scrutiny.
This case is part of a broader process involving PSG and its president, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, accused of offering game tickets to journalists, politicians and other personalities.
In 2021, Messi won the Ballon d’Or with 613 points, closely followed by Robert Lewandowski, who many critics say should be awarded the award.
