Paris: Argentina’s superstar Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award for world footballers.
This is the eighth time that Messi has won the World Footballer Award. Sports journalists including Franciso Romano had predicted that Messi would win the award. They highlighted the excellence of Messi who won the World Cup for Argentina. Messi was the star in the World Cup held in Qatar. For the superstar to score seven goals. Messi’s achievement is over the Norwegian player Erling Holland of the English Premier League club Manchester City. Last year the winner was Karim Benzema of France. 36-year-old Messi became the oldest player to win the Ballon d’Or.
Messi and Haaland were the most likely on the 30-man prospect list. England and Spanish club Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham won the Kepa trophy for the best young player. This feat surpassed Germany’s Jamal Musilaila. The best men’s club is Manchester City and the women’s club is Barcelona. Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez won the Lev Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper. Martins, who netted in the World Cup, is also a star of Premier League club Aston Villa. Real Madrid’s Brazilian star Vinicius Junior has been awarded the Socrates Award. The Socrates award is given for humane behavior on the field. Holland also received the Gerd Müller Trophy for the best striker. Messi won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021. Finished second five times. Messi won the French Ligue 1 title for PSG in the 2022-23 season and also won the League Cup trophy for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. He scored 32 goals in 55 games of the season.
The Women’s Ballon d’Or is coming to Barca for the third year in a row. Twice the winner was Alexia Putheus and this time it was Aitan Bonmati. Bonmatic won the World Cup with Spain. The player who won the Golden Ball led Spain from the front. He scored three goals and two assists for Spain in the World Cup.
Bonmati also won the Champions League and the Spanish League for Barca. Australian striker Sam Kerr finished second and Spanish youngster Salma Parayelo third. Messi has won three more Ballon d’Or awards than Portugal’s superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
He also said that he did not think about playing till 2026 World Cup. Messi added that the current goal is the 2024 Copa America.
Messi dedicated the award to his Argentina teammates and the late Diego Maradona. It is also special that the award was presented on Maradona’s birthday. Messi also wished “Maradona in heaven” a happy birthday. He doesn’t want to remember the two seasons he played for Paris Saint-Germain. But Messi said that the city of Paris is very dear to him and his family. In 2021, Messi left Barcelona and joined PSG. Messi was accompanied by his partner Antonella Roccoso and sons Thiago, Matteo and Ciro to receive the award at the Châtelet Theater in Paris.
2023-10-31 20:07:00
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