At a ceremony in Paris on Monday, Lionel Messi won the Men’s Ballon d’Or for a record-extending seventh time.
More about his achievements
Messi won the Ballon d’Or for the last time in 2019 before the honours were cancelled given the pandemic. He also won in the year 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015.
Additionally, during the last season, the 34-year-old scored 38 goals in 48 appearances for Barcelona, winning the Copa del Rey, and then leading Argentina to Copa America success in July.
That was his first big international title in a dazzling career that had been spent solely with Barcelona before his heartbreaking departure in August and subsequent move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi has only appeared in 11 games for PSG, scoring four goals, but he was rewarded for his consistent brilliance over the years.
Lionel Messi wins the Ballon d’Or twice more than Cristiano Ronaldo
He has now won the Ballon d’Or twice more than his arch rival Cristiano Ronaldo, winning 12 of the last 13 editions between them with the exception of 2018, when Luka Modric received the accolade.
In the polling by a jury of journalists from around the world, prolific Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski came in second and Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho came in third. Meanwhile, Ronaldo finished sixth.
