Messi has a record eighth Ballon d’Or. It was only after Argentina won the title in the last World Cup in Qatar. Arling Holland also claimed the treble for Manchester City, though, with a flood of goals. But in the end, Argentina superstar Lionel Messi got the verdict of France football’s jury board.
Messi once again outdid himself and won the Ballon d’Or trophy, the highest individual award for footballers, for a record eighth time. Former England star David Beckham handed over the France Football Player of the Year award in a grand ceremony at the Chalé Theater in Paris on Monday (October 30) night.
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Messi overtook Holland and Kylian Mbappe to win the Ballon d’Or. Norwegian star Holland won the treble in addition to scoring 53 goals for Manchester City last season.
On the other hand, Mbappe played a big role in bringing France to the finals in the last World Cup in Qatar. After the hat-trick the team failed to win the title but he won the Golden Boot by scoring the highest 8 goals in the tournament. In addition, he scored 41 goals in 43 matches for PSG last season and assisted 10 goals. Won the league title.
Hollande and Mbappe had excellent performances last season, but Messi has overtaken them to take the award for the highest individual honor among footballers. Because he led from the front and brought the country the most attractive and prestigious trophy in the world of football.
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In December of last year, the FIFA World Cup organized in Qatar, the whole world was amazed by the magic of Messi. After 36 years, he brought the desired title to the country. He was elected the best footballer of the season by scoring 7 goals and 3 assists. Also won the Silver Boot for second highest goalscorer. After such a performance, who else can be his biggest rival in the race for the Ballon d’Or!
He also won the league title last season for PSG. He had 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 games for the Parisians last season.
In his immediate reaction to winning the eighth Ballon d’Or, Messi said, ‘I did not imagine the career I have! Got luck on my side, thank God. Achieving all my goals, achieving everything there is in football – which is very difficult.’
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There is no one close to Messi to achieve this award of individual status of footballers. His closest rival Cristiano Ronaldo has won the maximum five. The gap with the Portuguese star has now increased to three.
This award, which has been going on since 1956, was first won by Messi in 2009. After that, no one could recognize this award from him until 2010, 2011 and 2012. Messi won his fifth Ballon d’Or trophy in 2015 after a gap of two years. Then he won the sixth trophy in 2019 and the seventh trophy in 2021. Won the first six while at Barcelona. Seventh after joining PSG. And this time the United States club Inter Miami wrote in the record book.
