Lionel Messi received his seventh Ballon d’Or in 2021, after winning the voting to be named the winner of the renowned France Football award. However, that feat is now being questioned, with the finger pointing at then-club Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG is accused of advocating for Messi to win the prize that year, according to reports in Le Monde and Mediaport (via Diario AS). The French champions are said to have reinforced links and relations with Pascal Ferre, who was president of France Football at the time of Messi’s seventh Ballon d’Or victory.

According to Le Monde, Ferre, who was chosen as PSG’s new communications member in 2023, received tickets to club games, including a behind-closed-doors match against Borussia Dortmund in 2020. In addition, the Qatari government will pay for a business class travel on Qatar Airways in March 2021 for an estimated cost of €8,986.

This allegedly allowed PSG to advocate for the Barcelona great to win the Ballon d’Or in 2021, ahead of, among others, Robert Lewandowski. For the time being, the investigation is ongoing, but Ferre has refuted the charges.