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Last Updated: October 31, 2023, 07:58 IST
Lionel Messi won his 8th Ballon d’Or (AP)
Lionel Messi won the eighth Ballon d’Or of his remarkable career at a glittering ceremony in Paris.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi won a record eighth Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world on Monday, beating Norway’s UEFA player of the year and treble winner Erling Haaland of Manchester City to the prestigious prize.
Inter Miami’s Messi, who last won the award in 2021, played a pivotal role in guiding Argentina to their first World Cup title in 36 years when they beat defending champions France in the final last year.
The 36-year-old is now three Ballons d’Or clear of rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the last of his five trophies in 2017. Messi has now finished among the top three a record 14 times in total, finishing runner-up on five occasions.
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“I couldn’t imagine having the career that I’ve had. Everything that I’ve achieved. The fortune I’ve had playing for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It’s nice to win these individual trophies. To win the Copa America and then the World Cup, to get it done is amazing,” Messi said.
“All of them (Ballon d’Or awards) are special for different reasons,” he added.
“I’m happy to get that recognition that I’m getting thanks to what we have achieved with the national team,” Messi told Reuters.
“This (World Cup) title we had been aiming for for so many years makes it even more special.”
Asked if he would carry on until the 2026 World Cup, Messi said: “I don’t think about it. I’ll enjoy (my career) day by day. There will first be the Copa America in the United States (in 2024). (The World Cup), I don’t think about it.”
When asked about Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, who came second and third respectively, Messi said the pair will win one day.
Kylian Mbappe was the star player in that team, scoring 41 goals, and was also the World Cup’s top scorer with eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final which France lost to Argentina on penalties.
Yet he fell just short for the Ballon d’Or, finishing third, while Norway striker Haaland came second after scoring 52 goals in 53 games for the Manchester City team that won the treble of the English Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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