Messi wins his eighth Ballon d'Or.

FRANCE - At the age of 36, Lionel Messi surpassed Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to win the 2023 Ballon d'Or, thanks to his first World Cup victory.

Inter Miami club president David Beckham announced Messi's name at the prestigious individual football awards ceremony organized by France Football magazine at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris on the evening of October 30th. The Argentine superstar showed little emotion upon hearing his name, as did Haaland, while Mbappe briefly smiled.

Haaland received the Silver Ball, while Mbappe won the Bronze Ball. "These three balls are all special, but the most important thing is still the team awards," Messi said when receiving the Golden Ball.

When asked if his eighth Ballon d'Or was more special than the previous seven awards, Messi said: "All eight are important for different reasons."

Messi speaks after winning his eighth Ballon d'Or at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris, France, on the evening of October 30, 2023. Photo: AFP

Messi holds the record for winning eight Ballon d'Or awards: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023. He is far ahead of the player in second place with five titles, Cristiano Ronaldo. Because the Ballon d'Or was only awarded to European players until 1994, South American legends like Pele or Diego Maradona never won the award. Therefore, France Football has awarded seven Ballon d'Or awards to Pele and two to Maradona.

After thanking his family and those who voted for him, Messi also paid tribute to his late mentor Maradona, as today marks the 63rd anniversary of his birth. "This award is a wonderful gift for all Argentinians," he said. "I want to mention one last person, Maradona. Happy birthday, and there's no better place for me to wish you a happy birthday than here, with so many players present and this ball. So, this award belongs to you, and to all Argentinians."

Maradona coached the Argentina national team from 2008 to 2010, giving the captain's armband to Messi for the first time. He achieved a 75% win rate with Argentina, the highest in the team's history among coaches who had managed 10 or more matches. However, Maradona and his team were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup.

After four World Cup appearances, with his highest finish being runner-up in 2014, Messi won his first title in 2022 in Qatar. He scored seven goals and was named the best player of the tournament after Argentina beat France in a penalty shootout in the final on December 18, 2022. In that tournament, Messi scored in every match.

Mbappe was the World Cup's top scorer with eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final, making him a first-time contender for the Ballon d'Or. Haaland helped Man City win the treble, becoming the top scorer in both the Premier League and the Champions League, achievements quite similar to last year's winner, Karim Benzema. However, the World Cup is the biggest tournament on the planet, held every four years, so it often has a significant impact on the Ballon d'Or voting. Messi said he believes Mbappe and Haaland will win the Ballon d'Or in the coming years.

Messi didn't show much emotion when receiving the 2023 Ballon d'Or. Photo: Reuters

While Messi was receiving the award and giving his speech, the cameras occasionally panned to his sons, who looked rather bored. His eldest son, Thiago, rested his chin on his hand, his second son, Mateo, yawned, and his youngest, Ciro, even sprawled out on the chair.

A little later, the family was invited onto the stage to celebrate with Messi. The boys high-fived former Ivory Coast striker and presenter Didier Drogba, then stood next to their father. The ceremony ended with a picture of Messi with his family, and after Beckham promised to throw a big celebration party in Miami.

Messi was the first player to receive the Ballon d'Or while playing for a club outside of Europe. He left PSG and joined Miami in July 2023, helping the American club win its first-ever League Cup title. Messi has finished the season with Miami and may not play any club games for over three months.

Top 10 Golden Ball 2023 : 1- Lionel Messi, 2- Erling Haaland, 3- Kylian Mbappe, 4- Kevin de Bruyne, 5- Rodri, 6- Vinicius Junior, 7- Julian Alvarez, 8- Victor Osimhen, 9- Bernardo Silva, 10- Luka Modric.

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