Messi won his eighth Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi won the 2023 Ballon d’Or and achieved eight awards in his successful career as a professional footballer, three more than those held by the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.

Finally proclaimed world champion, the Argentine expanded his lead as the player with the most Ballon d’Or awards in history, ahead of CR7, five times designated as the best player in the world, who was not among the nominees this year.

With arguments such as a World Cup in his pocket with seven goals, two of them in the final, and three assists, in addition to a more anecdotal Ligue 1 title with PSG, the Argentine genius ended up happening in the Châtelet theater to Frenchman Karim Benzema. The Frenchman was the first to receive the award in the European season category. That is, Benzema was awarded for his 2021-2022 campaign, while now Messi receives it for what he showed in the 2022-2023 season.

With Messi Immersed in a new stage at Inter Miami, far from European football in which he won his seven awards, a couple of young forwards dreamed of a surprise; Kylian Mbappé, 24, and Erling Haaland, 23.