Spain legend and former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has criticised Lionel Messi’s seventh Ballon d’Or title.

The Spanish legend who took to his Twitter handle to fault Messi’s win said it’s becoming harder for him to believe in football awards.

The men’s Ballon d’Or prize was won by Paris St-Germain player, Lionel Messi for a record seventh time while Alexia Putellas took the women’s award.

Messi won the Ballon d’Or ahead of Robert Lewandowski, Jorginho and closest rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

Casillas tweeted: “For me, Messi, he is one of the 5 best players in all of history, but you have to start knowing how to catalog who are the most outstanding after a season. It’s not that hard damn it! Others make it hard!”

Meanwhile, Messi says he believes Lewandowski deserved to win the award, however, he said he emerged the winner following the 2021 Copa America he won with Argentina.

“People were starting to ask me when I was going to retire but now I am here in Paris and I am very happy,” he said at the Chatelet Theatre in central Paris, where he was joined by his wife Antonella Roccuzzo and their three children.

“I don’t know how many more years I have left but I hope there will be many because I am really enjoying myself this year.

“What I achieved with Argentina was a dream come true. I think I won this trophy thanks to what we did at the Copa America, so I dedicate it to my teammates,” he added.