Lionel Messi. [EPA]
Lionel Messi. [EPA]

Colombia national team head coach Nestor Lorenzo has revealed that he once voted for Lionel Messi as the best player in the world — only to be told Messi was not on the list of candidates.

Speaking at an official pre-match news conference Tuesday ahead of Colombia's Group A third-round match against the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lorenzo was asked about Messi's record-breaking performances and said he was "not surprised at all."

"When a European magazine asked me to vote for the best player in the world, I chose Messi," Lorenzo said. "They came back and told me Messi wasn't on the candidate list. I said, 'How can he not be on the list? As long as Messi is on the pitch, he is the best of the best.'"

Colombia national team head coach Nestor Lorenzo. [EPA]
Colombia national team head coach Nestor Lorenzo. [EPA]

According to British football outlet World Soccer Talk, Lorenzo said in January that he had voted for Messi as the world's best player in the 2024 The Best awards and had tried to vote for him again in 2025 but was not allowed to because Messi was not among the candidates.

"Messi has a talent that is hard to describe, but above all, he is always thinking about the ball," Lorenzo said. "His longevity and consistency have made him one of the greatest players in history. What he has done, and continues to do, is remarkable. It will be a long time before we see a player like him again."

Messi scored twice against Austria in Dallas on Tuesday, bringing his career World Cup goal tally to 18. He surpassed Miroslav Klose of Germany — who scored 16 — to become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

He also set all-time records in appearances (28 games), minutes played (2,489) and career wins (18) at the World Cup. Guinness World Records wrote on its official X account, formerly Twitter: "We are witnessing history."


dbsdn1110@heraldcorp.com