Messi wins file eighth Ballon d’Or for greatest participant on this planet

Soccer Soccer – 2023 Ballon d’Or – Chatelet Theatre, Paris, France – October 30, 2023 Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi after successful the boys’s Ballon d’Or along with his sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

PARIS — Argentina captain Lionel Messi gained a file eighth Ballon d’Or for one of the best participant on this planet on Monday, beating Norway’s UEFA participant of the yr and treble winner Erling Haaland of Manchester Metropolis to the distinguished prize.

Inter Miami’s Messi, who final gained the award in 2021, performed a pivotal function in guiding Argentina to their first World Cup title in 36 years after they beat defending champions France within the remaining final yr.

The 36-year-old is now three Ballons d’Or away from rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who gained the final of his 5 trophies in 2017. Messi has now completed among the many high three a file 14 instances in complete, ending runner-up on 5 events.

“I couldn’t think about having the profession that I’ve had. Every thing that I’ve achieved. The fortune I’ve had taking part in for one of the best staff on this planet, one of the best staff in historical past. It’s good to win these particular person trophies. To win the Copa America after which the World Cup, to get it accomplished is wonderful,” Messi mentioned.

“All of them (Ballon d’Or awards) are particular for various causes,” he added.

“I’m pleased to get that recognition that I’m getting because of what we’ve got achieved with the nationwide staff,” Messi instructed Reuters.

“This (World Cup) title we had been aiming for for thus a few years makes it much more particular.”

Requested if he would stick with it till the 2026 World Cup, Messi mentioned: “I don’t give it some thought. I’ll take pleasure in (my profession) day-to-day. There’ll first be the Copa America in the US (in 2024). (The World Cup), I don’t give it some thought.”

Earlier, Messi’s World Cup-winning staff mate Emiliano Martinez gained the Lev Yashin award for the world’s greatest goalkeeper.

Spain’s Ladies’s World Cup winner and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati gained the ladies’s Ballon d’Or.

“It’s a person trophy however it could actually’t exist and not using a staff,” she instructed reporters.

READ: Messi eyes eighth Ballon d’Or with Bonmati set to win girls’s award

Messi, who gained his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 and claimed 4 in a row till 2012, completed second to Haaland on the UEFA awards in August.

Haaland, 23, was one of many agency favourites for his first Ballon d’Or after scoring 52 targets in 53 matches in all competitions final season as Metropolis gained the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

However Argentina’s magical run on the World Cup in Qatar, the place Messi earned the Golden Ball for greatest general participant and Silver Boot (seven targets and three assists), helped him pip the Norwegian striker to the award.

The World Cup was the one main trophy lacking from Messi’s resume as Argentina made amends for shedding the 2014 remaining to Germany whereas in March he grew to become solely the third participant in historical past to attain 100 worldwide targets.

Messi additionally gained the Ligue 1 title with Paris St Germain earlier than transferring to Inter Miami, the place he helped the Main League Soccer aspect win the Leagues Cup — their first main trophy.

Actual Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham gained the Kopa Trophy for one of the best Beneath-21 participant, whereas membership staff mate Vinicius Jr. was awarded the Socrates Award for his humanitarian work off the pitch.