According to leaked claims from yesterday, Lionel Messi, who helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last December, may have won the Ballon d’Or eight times.
According to reports, Messi, 36, defeated Erling Haaland, the free-scoring Manchester City striker from the previous season, to win the coveted football trophy.
The results for the men’s and women’s awards, which will be given out at an event in Paris on October 30, have already been made public, according to Spanish media outlet SPORT.
Messi and Barcelona player Aitana Bonmati, who assisted Spain in defeating England in Australia in August to win the Women’s World Cup, are scheduled to accept their trophies at the Chatelet Theatre in the French capital, according to SPORTS.
The player who was formerly with Barcelona and PSG and is currently playing for David Beckham’s Inter Miami is thought to have overcome formidable opposition from Haaland, who scored 52 goals in all competitions to lead Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning season, and Kylian Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final that Messi eventually won.
Speaking lately about individual honors, Messi said how trophies for the teams he plays for have always come before personal recognition.
Messi told UK’s The Mirror, “I never gave it importance, but I have said it many times: the Ballon d’Or is very important due to the recognition at the individual level.”
“For me, the group honors were always the most significant thing. I consider myself fortunate to have accomplished everything in my career, and that was my greatest achievement. Since the World Cup, I’ve given that honor considerably less thought.
“Good if Ballon d’Or shows up; if not, nothing happens. I’m fortunate to have accomplished all of my professional objectives, and I now have new ones with this team (Inter Miami in the MLS).
Messi would be the first player to win the Ballon d’Or while competing outside of Europe if he is declared the victor in the end.
