Renowned football superstar, Lionel Messi, has clinched his eighth Ballon d’Or, adding another glittering accolade to his illustrious career.
This extraordinary achievement comes on the heels of his stellar performance, leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup held in Qatar. At the tournament, Messi exhibited his footballing prowess by netting an impressive seven goals and earning the title of the tournament’s best player. His exceptional display catapulted him ahead of his competitors, namely Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and PSG’s Kylian Mbappe, securing the coveted award.
The grand award ceremony took place at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, on a memorable Monday, October 30. Messi, in a gracious acceptance speech, extended his gratitude to his fellow teammates from the Argentina national team and extended his congratulations to the other nominees.
For the past 15 years, the Ballon d’Or has been virtually synonymous with the rivalry between Messi and his perennial adversary, Cristiano Ronaldo. Collectively, these two football legends have laid claim to the title 12 times during this period. Only two other players have managed to disrupt their duopoly on the award: Luka Modric, who secured the accolade in 2018, and Karim Benzema, crowned the winner last year following a remarkable season with Real Madrid.
