Lionel Messi Wins Eighth Ballon d’Or Award

Lionel Messi has won the Men’s Ballon d’Or for an eighth time, a record-extending achievement. The 36-year-old was recognized at the ceremony in Paris after helping his country win the World Cup in Qatar last year.

Messi won the award ahead of Manchester City forward Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. He is now the only player to have won the Ballon d’Or more than seven times.

“It’s nice to be here once more to enjoy this moment,” Messi said. “To be able to win the World Cup and achieve my dream.“

He continued;

“All of them [Ballon d’Or awards] are special for different reasons.”

He has now won three more Ballon d’Or awards than anyone else, with Cristiano Ronaldo having won it five times, most recently in 2017.

Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or award is a testament to his incredible career. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, and he continues to perform at a high level despite his age.