Lionel Messi secured an unprecedented eighth Ballon d’Or award on Monday, capping a remarkable year where he fulfilled his lifelong dream by leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup held in Qatar.
Messi’s outstanding World Cup performance, where he contributed to 10 goals for Argentina (scoring seven and assisting three, including two goals in the final against France), was the decisive factor in an otherwise less spectacular season at Paris Saint-Germain.
The 36-year-old Messi claimed the award ahead of Manchester City forward Erling Haaland and his former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe.
Heartfelt tribute to Diego Maradona
In his acceptance speech, Messi expressed gratitude to his Argentina coach, teammates, and support staff for helping him achieve this milestone. He also paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Diego Maradona, who played a pivotal role in Argentina’s World Cup triumph in 1986.
For the women’s Ballon d’Or, Aitana Bonmati was honored for leading Spain to victory in the Women’s World Cup and for her contributions to Barcelona’s success in the Women’s Champions League and the Spanish league.
This year’s Ballon d’Or marked the first time a Major League Soccer (MLS)-based player received the prestigious recognition, as Messi has recently joined Inter Miami in the United States.
In other awards, Jude Bellingham was named the best under-21 player, while Haaland won the Gerd Müller award for the best striker of the year. The Lev Yashin award for the best goalkeeper was presented to Emiliano Martinez.
Humanitarian award
Additionally, Vinicius Junior was honored with the humanitarian prize named after the late Brazil midfielder Socrates for his work in supporting underprivileged children through a foundation he established, pledging to continue his fight against racism despite facing racist abuse in the Spanish league.
The Ballon d’Or, initially based on performances throughout the calendar year, was awarded this year based on achievements from the past season, aligning with a new format introduced last year. The Women’s Ballon d’Or was introduced in 2018.
Both awards were canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first Ballon d’Or was awarded in 1956 to Stanley Matthews.
Notably, Martinez’s award presentation was met with boos and whistles from the audience, including Mbappe and France coach Didier Deschamps, due to his actions during Argentina’s World Cup celebrations and a subsequent mocking gesture directed at Mbappe.
