During the launch ceremony of the "Bundesliga Dream" project, a collaboration between the German Football Association and the Chinese Football Association, held in Shanghai, Lothar Matthäus gave an interview to The Paper.

On Japan Winning the World Cup in 30 Years

Matthäus commented: "Japan aiming to win the World Cup within 30 years? That's very difficult. Winning the championship is not just about having a few players with extraordinary skills; it requires the entire squad of 23 players to be fully prepared, along with the complete cooperation of the coaching staff. Additionally, you also need luck."

On the Ballon d'Or

Matthäus stated: "Messi's performance over the past 20 years has proven that he is a great player, and I personally admire his skills. However, there are some issues with the Ballon d'Or selection process. Messi indeed performed excellently during the few weeks of the World Cup, showing the best of the world, but the Ballon d'Or is awarded based on the entire year's performance. We must consider the full 12 months, not just one month."

"Erling Haaland scored 52 goals in his first season with Manchester City and helped the team win the treble. In my opinion, his performance over the entire year was better than Messi's. Everyone knows that Messi was unable to help Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League, which is my personal view."

"Globally, Messi is more well-known and has a greater influence. From both Messi's personal and football politics perspectives, awarding the Ballon d'Or to Messi seems like a result that many expected. But according to my personal standards, I would still cast my vote for Haaland."