Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or are all glittering as it speaks about the player’s greatness and influence over the sport and as the 2021 Prestigious Ballon d’Or Ceremony finally comes to an end, the year-long excitement among players and fans comes to a momentary pause when Messi has crowned the winner for the seventh time! The Ballon d’Or awards are conducted by France Football and this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony took place in Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet.
Lionel Messi has his hands on the Ballon d’Or once again in 2021, claiming his seventh Golden Ball: the most in the history in Football. He helped Barcelona to Copa del Rey glory and the much-awaited Copa America 2021 with Argentina.
Messi’s first Ballon d’Or
Lionel Messi bagged his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 at the age of 22 with 473 votes that year, more than double that of Cristiano, who finished second. He established himself as Barcelona’s leading scorer and became the first player to have come through the Barca youth system and win the prestigious award. In 2010, he picked up 22.65% of the votes to win the award yet again who ended up as the top scorer in LaLiga with 34 goals and also claimed his first Pichichi award.
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Messi’s Second Ballon d’Or
In 2011, Messi totaled 47.88% of the votes compared to 21.6% for Cristiano as for the second consecutive year, Messi posted 30+ goals in LaLiga. Another golden year for Barcelona as it celebrated a Liga and Champions League double. He collected his fourth year running Ballon d’Or in 2012 by 41.6% of the votes he received. An outstanding year with Barcelona, he reset another record, previously set by Ronaldo, for most goals scored in one LaLiga season (50).
Ronaldo’s Comeback
Ronaldo finally triumphed over Messi in 2013 and 2014 editions but the former Barcelona sensation came around in December 2015 to pick his fifth Ballon d’Or. With 43 goals in LaLiga and 10 in the Champions League as Barcelona was crowned the winners of Europe, clinching both domestic titles.
Messi’s historical 6th Ballon d’Or
Lionel Messi claimed the 2019 edition of the Ballon d’Or in Paris as he won the award for record sixth time as he finished with 36 LaLiga goals and was named Pichichi for the sixth time. However, the short-lived happiness was embroiled in heartbreaks for millions of Barca fans which jeopardized the player’s future in his former club.
