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Lionel Messi has been named the 2023 men’s Ballon d’Or after a historic season in which he clinched the one prize that had always eluded him.
The 36-year-old was the favourite on a 30-man shortlist for France Football’s world-player-of-the-year prize, an accolade that he had already received seven times in his illustrious career.
In the build-up to the event Messi was heavily tipped for the award, which is based on players’ performances during the 2022/23 season. In late 2022 Messi captained Argentina to victory at the World Cup. Messi scored seven goals in seven matches in Qatar and was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player at the tournament.
He moved to Inter Miami during the summer of 2023 and has light up MLS during his first months in the United States. He becomes the first man playing for a team outside of Europe to win the Ballon d’Or.
How many Ballon d’Ors has Messi won?
This latest award is the eighth Ballon d’Or in the Argentine’s incredible trophy cabinet. He also picked up the men’s Ballon d’Or in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021. With this win Messi extends his position at the top of the all-time Ballon d’Or winners list.
After Messi, the second-most frequent winner of the men’s Ballon d’Or is Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scooped the prize five times: in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.
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The men’s Ballon d’Or’s international jury of journalists is asked to take into account players’ performances during the period between August of the previous year and July of the present year.
While Messi has performed magnificently for Miami, scoring 11 goals in 14 games and leading the Herons to victory in the Leagues Cup, only his first two appearances for the franchise came during the 2023 Ballon d’Or eligibility period. He failed to secure the continental success that PSG crave during his time in the French capital, meaning that his historic eighth triumph was the result of his crowning glory with the Argentinian national team.
Video – Messi’s Ballon d’Or history
Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or will almost certainly be his last, but the awards ceremony in Paris offered an opportunity for the world of soccer to relive his incredible World Cup victory with Argentina last December. He finally lifted the iconic trophy at his fifth attempt and this Ballon d’Or trophy pays tribute to his incredible career at the very top level.
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