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Victor Osimhen finished 8th
Argentine sensation Lionel Messi has made history as he won his eighth Ballon d’Or award on Monday night.
The 2022 World Cup winner earlier clinched the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021 respectively.
Messi won ahead of Manchester City forward Erling Haaland.
The Norway international scored a record-breaking 36 goals in 35 league games and hit 52 in all competitions as City won the Treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
French striker Kylian Mbappe finished third, while Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne came fourth.
Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen finished eighth – the highest ranked African.
But it was always going to be Messi’s night in Paris after leading Argentina to win the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year.
LIONEL MESSI IS THE 2023 MEN’S BALLON D’OR!
Eight Ballon d’Or for Argentina hero! 🖐🤟#ballondor pic.twitter.com/1slOJ6EoKj
— Ballon d’Or #ballondor (@ballondor) October 30, 2023
The statistics for the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament spoke for him:
- Won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s MVP
- Became the first player in the history of the World Cup to score in the group stage, last 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final
- Led the tournament in shots (32), shots on target (18), chances created from open play (17) and fouls won (22)
- Scored seven goals and assisted a further three across seven matches in Qatar, becoming one of six players with at least 10 goal involvements at a single World Cup since assists were first tracked
The Rosario native won the French Ligue 1 title in May.
Not done yet, the 36-year old took America by storm.
Also Read: Messi Leads Miami To First Trophy Leagues Cup Win
In fact, he played a key role resurrecting a rock-bottom Inter Miami as his magical presence on and off the pitch ensured they won their first trophy – the Leagues Cup – scoring 11 goals in 14 appearances for the Major League Soccer side.
What makes this award more remarkable is the fact that fourteen years have now passed between Messi’s first Ballon d’Or win in 2009 and his latest win.
For the football fraternity, this is unmatched, unprecedented.
