He scored loads of goals. Didn't net a single one beyond the quarter finals of any of the competitions they won however.
If anyone other than Messi were to win it and it had to be from City, it wouldn't have been Haaland for me, personally.
Haaland broke the Premier League record for goals in a season, most goals in a debut season, first player in the Prem to score 3 consecutive hat tricks, most goals scored by a PL player in all comps, CL top scorer as well etc...
Also if we're using the logic of him not scoring in key matches after QF's, PSG got knocked out of the 2nd round of the CL which Messi played, blanked twice against Bayern, got knocked out of the French Cup in the last 16 as well, Messi blanked and then he fucked off to the US bossing a league levels below him.
Messi only won in because his team won the world cup which is a huge feat but that tournament is only played one month of the year and let's face it Argentina only turned up for 6 matches because they were dog in that Saudi match, he shouldn't be judged on that because it's a seasonal award anyway.
At the end of the day we know what these awards are, they're a popularity contest but there's no reason why Messi couldn't have been given the Super Ballon D'or like they gave to De Stefano which is essentially a lifetime achievement award.
You can say that about Rodri, Dias or many other players in that team.
And so you could, but goals will also weigh heavier on how matches are decided than anything else or any other contribution, that's why goal scorers are respected and always recognised the most in these types of awards and rightly so, when was the last time a CB or DMF got awarded with a Ballon D'or?