Celebrated football icon Lionel Messi has clinched his eighth Ballon d’Or, marking a remarkable milestone in his illustrious career. The former Barcelona legend, credited with leading Argentina to triumph in the Qatar World Cup, where he netted an impressive seven goals and was named the tournament’s standout player, emerged victorious over competitors Erling Haaland of Manchester City and Kylian Mbappe of PSG to claim this prestigious accolade.
The grandiose award ceremony took place at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, on Monday, October 30. In his gracious acceptance speech, Messi expressed heartfelt appreciation for his Argentina teammates and conveyed his congratulations to the fellow nominees.
Over the course of the last 15 years, the Ballon d’Or has consistently been dominated by Messi and his enduring adversary, Cristiano Ronaldo, with a combined total of 12 wins. Only two other players have managed to break this duopoly since Ronaldo’s initial triumph in 2008: Luka Modric in 2018 and Karim Benzema, who secured the honor last year following a remarkable season with Real Madrid.