Lionel Messi, Argentinean football superstar has won the Ballon d’Or, an award given to the best player, for a record eighth time. He won his first prize in 2009 .
Messi, 36, now plays in Major League Soccer for Inter Miami, but he received the award for his outstanding performance at the 2022 World Cup, which Argentina won for the third time in history.Erling Haaland, a Norwegian striker who scored 52 goals last year for his club Manchester City, came in second. French superstar Kilian Mbappe was third.
Messi received the award from one of his team’s owners, David Beckham.
In his acceptance speech Messi said that leading Argentina to a Copa América and World Cup victory were the greatest achievements of his life. He also paid tribute to fellow Argentinean Diego Maradona,whose team won the World Cup back in 1986.
Messi at the 2022 World Cup
Image: Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0,
via Wikimedia Commons
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