Leo Messi wins the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time
Leo Messi wins the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time
He led Argentina to a long-awaited World Cup gold.
Now he is praised as the world’s best soccer player on the men’s side for the eighth time.
The predictions were fulfilled and Leo Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or at the gala held in Paris. The star has now left his greatest competitor in recent years, Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won all five trophies, far behind him.
Messi was the star at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and, with the change in the rules – successes are now counted per season rather than per calendar year – the balance has tipped in his favour. At club level, he won the Ligue 1 title at PSG and has made a big impact at Inter Miami since his arrival.
The 36-year-old Argentinian has maintained a high level of play that has allowed him to deservedly be considered the best player on the planet. At Qatar 2022 he was the heart and soul of Argentina and scored two goals in the final against France, as well as converting their penalty in the shootout.
– I can’t imagine the career I’ve had, Messi said during the award ceremony.
On the women’s side, Aitana Bonmati received the award. Fridolina Rolfö finished fourth.
Leo Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009. By then he had won the league, the cup and the Champions League with FC Barcelona. 14 years later, the Argentine now receives the award for the eighth time, and has now received the Ballon d’Or three times more than runner-up Cristiano Ronaldo.
Last season, Leo Messi led Argentina to the country’s first World Cup gold since 1986. Messi scored seven goals in the tournament, only Frenchman Kylian Mbappé scored more in the tournament.
Even before the weekend, journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that it was clear that the 36-year-old would receive the prize, which had thus been leaked in advance.
Aitana Bonmati winner on the women’s side
And the information was very true. On Monday evening, Leo Messi received his eighth Ballon d’Or in Paris, where he flew in from his new hometown of Miami. He has won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021. The Argentine received the award from David Beckham. Haaland finished second followed by Frenchman Mbappé.
– I managed to win the WC and achieve my big dream. I can’t imagine the career I’ve had and everything I’ve achieved, Messi said during the award ceremony.
– Many thanks for this award. I would like to thank everyone who has stood behind me and my teammates in the Argentine national team, he continued.
On the women’s side, the prize as the world’s best soccer player went to Barcelona player Aitana Bonmati, who won World Cup gold last summer. The Spaniard received the award from tennis icon Novak Djokovic. Fridolina Rolfö finished in fourth place. National team colleague Amanda Ilestedt ended up in 15th place on the list.
– I am very proud to receive this award. I want to thank my teammates and everyone who has supported me, Bonmati said in his acceptance speech.
RANKING ON THE WOMEN’S SIDE
1. Aitana Bonmati
2. Sam Kerr
3. Salma Paralluelo
4. Fridolina Rolfö
5. Mary Earps
6. Olga Carmona
7. Alexandra Popp
8. Patricia Guijarro
9. Linda Caicedo
10. Rachel Daly
11. Millie Bright
12. Hinata Miyazawa
13. Lena Oberdorf
14. Kadidiatou Diani
15. Amanda Ilestedt
16. Mapi León
17. Hayley Raso
18. Ewa Pajor
19. Guro Reiten
20. Asisat Oshoala
21. Alba Redondo
22. Katie McCabe
23. Georgia Stanway
24. Khadija Shaw
25. Sophia Smith
26. Wendy Renard
27. Yui Hasegawa
28. Debinha
29. Jill Roord
30. Daphne van Domselaar
RANKING ON THE MEN’S SIDE
1. Lionel Messi
2. Erling Haaland
3. Kylian Mbappé
4. Kevin De Bruyne
5. Rodri
6. Vinicius Junior
7. Julian Alvarez
8. Victor Osimhen
9. Bernardo Silva
10. Luka Modric
11. Mohamed Salah
12. Robert Lewandowski
13. Yassine Bounou
14. İlkay Gundogan
15. Emiliano Martinez
16. Karim Benzema
17. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
18. Jude Bellingham
19. Harry Kane
20. Lautaro Martinez
21. Antoine Griezmann
22. Kim Min-jae
23. Other Masturbation
24. Bukayo Saka
25. Josko Guardiol
26. Jamal Musiala
27. Nicolo Barella
28. Randal Kolo Muani
28. Martin Odegaard
30. Ruben Dias