In a historic triumph, Lionel Messi, the Argentine striker who plied his trade for Inter Miami and Paris Saint-Germain, has secured an unprecedented eighth Ballon d’Or award, reaffirming his status as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
This remarkable achievement comes on the heels of Messi’s inspirational captaincy of the Argentine national team, which clinched the World Cup in Qatar last December, ending a 36-year championship drought for the South American nation. Messi’s astounding eight Ballon d’Or wins overshadow the competition, with him now holding the record for the most wins in the history of the prestigious accolade.
The grand announcement took place at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday, where the football icon was formally named the Ballon d’Or 2023 laureate. Messi’s contributions were pivotal in securing Argentina’s victory at the 2022 World Cup, a tournament where he claimed his first-ever World Cup title. His performance reached its zenith in a nail-biting final against France, culminating in a 3-3 draw after extra time, with Messi scoring twice, converting in the penalty shootout, and being named the match’s outstanding player.
In this competition, Messi had to fend off stiff competition from prominent figures like Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe, along with 26 other accomplished nominees, ultimately earning the prestigious honor.
The 36-year-old’s football prowess continued to shine during his stint at Paris Saint-Germain in the 2022/23 season, as he featured in 41 matches, netting 21 goals, and contributing 20 assists. However, his crowning moment came on the world stage in Qatar, where he found the net twice during the group stage and in every knockout round, notably against Australia, the Netherlands, and Croatia, and culminating with a goal in the final.
Messi closed the World Cup as the second-highest goal scorer, tallying seven goals, and was awarded the Golden Ball in recognition of his remarkable campaign. In his acceptance speech, Messi expressed his gratitude, stating, “Thank you very much, to share this with my national team-mates for what we were able to achieve with the national team. The entire group, the coaching staff, everyone involved. I’m delighted to be here once more to be able to enjoy this moment one more time. To be able to win the World Cup and really achieve my dream, to share this with all those who were involved.” He concluded his speech with a heartfelt tribute: “To finish, I want to say happy birthday to Diego Maradona.”
Following the expiration of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, Messi embarked on a new chapter in his career, making a move to Major League Soccer (MLS) with Inter Miami, and remarkably, he was among the three players nominated for the Ballon d’Or award who were not currently playing in Europe.
This impressive victory adds another illustrious chapter to Messi’s remarkable career, which saw him spend 17 unforgettable years with Barcelona from 2004 to 2021 and previously claim the Ballon d’Or in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021. Remarkably, he secured his first Ballon d’Or at the age of 22 in 2009 and has now, 14 years later, etched his name into history with a record-extending eighth award.
