Lionel Messi secured an unprecedented eighth Ballon d’Or award on Monday, capping a exceptional yr the place he fulfilled his lifelong dream by main Argentina to victory within the World Cup held in Qatar.
Messi’s excellent World Cup efficiency, the place he contributed to 10 targets for Argentina (scoring seven and aiding three, together with two targets within the closing in opposition to France), was the decisive consider an in any other case much less spectacular season at Paris Saint-Germain.
The 36-year-old Messi claimed the award forward of Manchester Metropolis ahead 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 assist employees for serving to him obtain this milestone. He additionally paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Diego Maradona, who performed a pivotal function in Argentina’s World Cup triumph in 1986.
For the ladies’s Ballon d’Or, Aitana Bonmati was honored for main Spain to victory within the Ladies’s World Cup and for her contributions to Barcelona’s success within the Ladies’s Champions League and the Spanish league.
This yr’s Ballon d’Or marked the primary time a Main League Soccer (MLS)-based participant acquired the distinguished recognition, as Messi has just lately joined Inter Miami in the USA.
In different awards, Jude Bellingham was named the perfect under-21 participant, whereas Haaland received the Gerd Müller award for the perfect striker of the yr. The Lev Yashin award for the perfect goalkeeper was offered to Emiliano Martinez.
Humanitarian award
Moreover, Vinicius Junior was honored with the humanitarian prize named after the late Brazil midfielder Socrates for his work in supporting underprivileged youngsters by means of a basis he established, pledging to proceed his battle in opposition to racism regardless of going through racist abuse within the Spanish league.
The Ballon d’Or, initially based mostly on performances all through the calendar yr, was awarded this yr based mostly on achievements from the previous season, aligning with a brand new format launched final yr. The Ladies’s Ballon d’Or was launched in 2018.
Each awards had been canceled in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. The primary Ballon d’Or was awarded in 1956 to Stanley Matthews.
Notably, Martinez’s award presentation was met with boos and whistles from the viewers, together with Mbappe and France coach Didier Deschamps, resulting from his actions throughout Argentina’s World Cup celebrations and a subsequent mocking gesture directed at Mbappe.
