Ballon d’Or 2023: Messi beats Haaland to win for eighth time

Inter Miami CF star Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or for a record eighth time, fending off competition from Manchester City striker Erling Haaland after leading Argentina to the World Cup last year.

Messi, 36, becomes the first MLS player to win the coveted prize, although the triumph was largely based on his exploits with his country in Qatar. Former Manchester United player and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham presented the award to his signing Messi in Paris.

Haaland, who scored 52 goals last season as City won the treble in 2022-23, finished second in the voting and won the Gerd Muller Trophy as the best striker of the year.

“I couldn’t imagine having the career I had. Everything I achieved,” Messi said after receiving his award. “The fortune I had playing for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It’s nice to win these individual trophies.

“Winning the Copa America and then the World Cup, achieving that is incredible. [Ballon d’Or awards] are special for different reasons.

Before Messi received his award, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won the Women’s Ballon d’Or after a record year for club and country. She helped Barca win La Liga F and the Champions League last season, before leading Spain to World Cup glory this summer.

Among other awards handed out on Monday, Messi’s Argentina teammate Emiliano Martinez won the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper and England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham received the Kopa Trophy for the world’s best player under 21 years old.

During his acceptance speech, Messi wanted to wish his Argentine compatriot Diego Maradona a happy birthday. The 1986 World Cup winner, who died on November 22, 2020, would have been 63 years old on Monday.

“My last mention is for Diego [Maradona]”, Messi said. “Today is his birthday. So I would like to remember him from here, surrounded by the best players, coaches and people who love football like him.

“Wherever you are, Diego, happy birthday. That goes for you too.”

Even before Monday’s ceremony in Paris, no player had won the Ballon d’Or more times than Messi, who first won it in 2009 and then again in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021.

Cristiano Ronaldo has won it five times, while Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten are all three winners.

Messi scored 21 goals in 41 matches last season as Paris Saint-Germain retained the Ligue 1 title before joining Inter Miami earlier this year.

Since arriving in the United States, he has scored 11 goals in 14 games for Miami, helping the franchise win its first ever piece of silverware, the Leagues Cup.

However, he missed several matches due to injury late in the MLS regular season as Gerardo “Tata” Martino’s side failed in their late bid for a playoff spot.

It was Messi’s performances at the World Cup in late 2022 that earned him an eighth Ballon d’Or, as Argentina ended a 36-year wait to be crowned world champions for a third time.

Messi, as captain, was instrumental in Argentina’s success in Qatar, scoring seven goals and assisting three others as he was named player of the tournament.

He scored twice in the final and again in the penalty shootout against France, helping Lionel Scaloni’s side win one of the most memorable showpieces in the competition’s history.

Having failed to defeat Argentina in four previous World Cups, including losing the 2014 final to Germany, many saw this as his last chance to get his hands on football’s biggest prize.

At 36 years and four months, he also becomes the second oldest player to win the Ballon d’Or, replacing last year’s winner Karim Benzema. Only the first winner, Stanley Matthews in 1956, was older when he won at age 41.

Messi’s first six Ballon d’Ors were won while playing for Barcelona, ​​where he is the club’s top scorer and record holder, while he won it for the seventh time shortly after joins PSG in 2021 after Copa America success with Argentina.