PARIS: Argentina captain Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player on Monday, beating out Norwegian UEFA player of the year and treble winner Erling Haaland of Manchester City for the prestigious award.
Inter Miami’s Messi, who last won the award in 2021, was instrumental in guiding Argentina to their first World Cup title in 36 years when they beat defending champions France in the final last year.
The 36-year-old is now three Ballon d’Ors clear of rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the last of his five trophies in 2017. Messi has now finished in the top three a record 14 times in total, finishing second on five occasions.
“I couldn’t imagine the career I’ve had. Everything I’ve achieved. The luck I’ve had playing for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It’s nice to win these individual trophies. To win the Copa America and then the World Cup, it’s amazing to do it,” Messi said.
“All of them (the Ballon d’Or awards) are special for different reasons,” he added.
“I am happy to receive the recognition that I receive thanks to what we have achieved with the national team,” Messi said. Reuters.
“This (World Cup) title that we’ve been aiming for for so many years makes it even more special.”
Asked if he would continue until the 2026 World Cup, Messi said: “I’m not thinking about it. I’m going to enjoy (my career) day by day. First is the Copa America in the United States (in 2024 (The World Cup), I don’t think about it.”
Earlier, Messi’s World Cup winning teammate Emiliano Martinez won the Lev Yashin Award for the world’s best goalkeeper.
Spain Women’s World Cup winner and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati has won the Women’s Ballon d’Or.
“It’s an individual trophy, but it can’t exist without a team,” he told reporters.
Messi, who won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 and won four in a row until 2012, finished second to Haaland at the UEFA awards in August.
Haaland, 23, was one of the firm favorites for his first Ballon d’Or after scoring 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions last season as City won the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
But Argentina’s magical run at the World Cup in Qatar, where Messi won the Ballon d’Or for best player and the Silver Shoe (seven goals and three assists), helped him beat the Norwegian striker to the award.
The World Cup was the only major trophy missing from Messi’s CV as Argentina made amends for their 2014 final defeat by Germany, while in March he became only the third player in history to score 100 international goals.
Messi also won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Inter Miami, where he helped the Major League Soccer side win the Leagues Cup – their first major trophy.
Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham won the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player, while team-mate Vinicius Jr. he was awarded the Socrates Award for his humanitarian work off the field.
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