By Isaac Akugizibwe,
SPORTS
Lionel Messi, Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain, clinched his eighth Ballon d’Or at a dazzling ceremony in Paris on Monday night.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland secured the second spot, surpassing Kylian Mbappe and Kevin de Bruyne.
Amid a standing ovation, David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami, Messi’s current club, expressed his joy:
“It’s very special to say he’s a Miami player… We’ll do our best to celebrate it in the Miami way.”
Messi, reflecting on his career in Spanish, said, “I couldn’t imagine having the career I’ve had and everything I’ve achieved.”
His exceptional performances included scoring crucial goals for Argentina in the World Cup and outside of it, scroring 26 goals in 20 appearances. He scored and assisted more than 20 goals for PSG in the 22/23 season and had the highest match rating in the top 5 divisions with a rating if 8.48 for PSG.
The football legend’s success extended to Inter Miami, where he played a pivotal role in securing their first trophy, the Leagues Cup. He has also bagged 11 goals in 14 appearances for the Major League Soccer side.
The 36 year old has now won three more Ballon d’Or awards than anyone else, with Cristiano Ronaldo having won it five times, most recently in 2017.
Cristiano Ronaldo, was absent from the shortlist for the first time since 2003.
Erling Haaland, with a record-breaking 36 goals in the league, thanked Manchester City and the entire club for his achievements.
“I want to thank Manchester City, the whole club,” said Haaland after claiming the Gerd Muller award for scoring the most goals.
Emiliano Martinez, Messi’s compatriot and Aston Villa goalkeeper, claimed the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper globally.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr received the Socrates Award for his off-field contributions, emphasizing his commitment against racism.
Jude Bellingham, the talented English midfielder from Real Madrid, secured the Kopa Trophy for the world’s best player under 21.
Aitana Bonmati, Spain and Barcelona midfielder, won the Women’s Ballon d’Or, while Manchester City and Barcelona were named Men’s and Women’s Club of the Year, respectively.
