PARIS: Argentina captain Lionel Messi won a record eighth Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world on Monday, beating Norway’s UEFA player of the year and treble winner Erling Haaland of Manchester City to the prestigious prize.

For Messi, the trophy rewards, above all else, his inspirational performances at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, when he dragged Argentina to victory.

Messi, who last won the award in 2021, played a pivotal role in Argentina’s first World Cup title in 36 years when they beat defending champions France in the final last year, scoring seven goals and being named the tournament’s best player.

It was the crowning moment of his astonishing career, and it allowed him to see off stiff competition, in particular from Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, to take the award on the stage of the Chatelet Theatre in Paris.

It was a return to the French capital after his departure from Paris St Germain in June and his subsequent move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. But a year after missing out on the shortlist for the 2022 Ballon d’Or, and despite leaving top-level European soccer behind, Messi has recovered his crown.

The 36-year-old is now three Ballons d’Or clear of rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the last of his five trophies in 2017. Messi has now finished among the top three a record 14 times in total, finishing runner-up on five occasions.

“I couldn’t imagine having the career that I’ve had. Everything that I’ve achieved. The fortune I’ve had playing for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It’s nice to win these individual trophies. To win the Copa America and then the World Cup, to get it done is amazing,” Messi said.

“All of them [Ballon d’Or awards] are special for different reasons,” he added. “I’m happy to get that recognition that I’m getting thanks to what we have achieved with the national team. This [World Cup] title we had been aiming for so many years makes it even more special.”

Asked if he would carry on until the 2026 World Cup, Messi said: “I don’t think about it. I’ll enjoy [my career] day by day. There will first be the Copa America in the United States [in 2024]. [The World Cup], I don’t think about it.”

Messi benefits from a recent change which means the award is based on a player’s record over the last season, rather than over the calendar year.

He won despite an underwhel­ming final season at PSG, even if he was a Ligue 1 title winner.

Mbappe was the star player in that team, scoring 41 goals, and was also the World Cup’s top scorer with eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final which France lost to Argentina on penalties.

Yet he fell just short for the Ballon d’Or, finishing third, while Norway striker Haaland came second after scoring 52 goals in 53 games for the Manchester City team that won the treble of English Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

Messi, who won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 and claimed four in a row until 2012, finished second to Haaland at the UEFA awards in August.

Messi will struggle to hold off the next wave of superstars, led by Mbappe, Haaland and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, but his World Cup performances made his victory this time feel inevitable.

Messi’s latest win marked the first time a MLS-based player got such recognition. Messi received the trophy from former Manchester United star David Beckham, who is one of the owners of his new club.

“I’m very happy with the decisions I’ve made and to be with Miami,” Messi said as he succeeded Karim Benzema.

Earlier, Messi’s World Cup-winning team-mate Emiliano Martinez won the Lev Yashin award for the world’s best goalkeeper.

In addition to his trophy, the Argentina goalkeeper collected boos and whistles from the audience that included Mbappe and France coach Didier Deschamps.

Martinez was criticised for the excessive tone of his World Cup celebrations. He carried a doll with Mbappe’s face on it while standing alongside team-mate Messi as Argentina paraded the trophy back home. Martinez, who also made a crude gesture after winning the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper, was filmed mocking Mbappe in the team dressing room after the game.

BONMATI CLAIMS WOMEN’S AWARD

Spain’s Women’s World Cup winner and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati won the women’s Ballon d’Or.

“It’s an individual trophy but it can’t exist without a team,” she told reporters.

The 25-year-old was named the best player at the World Cup as the Spanish team overcame off-field turbulence, including protests against their national federation and coach Jorge Vilda, to lift the trophy.

Bonmati also starred as Barcelona won the Champions League last season and was recently named as the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.

“It is difficult to improve on this. It has been a unique year,” she said. “If anyone said to me when I was little that I would play at the Camp Nou, win the World Cup, two Champions Leagues, a Ballon d’Or, a UEFA award, these are extraordinary things.”

She was one of four members of the triumphant Spain team to feature among the 30 nominees, with Alba Redondo, Salma Paralluelo and full-back Olga Carmona, who netted the winner in the final, all shortlisted.

Last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, also part of that Spain side, was not nominated after missing almost all of last season with a knee injury.

Australia’s Sam Kerr came second with Paralluelo in third place.

Putellas had won the Ballon d’Or in each of the previous two campaigns.

Real Madrid and England midfielder Bellingham won the Kopa Trophy for the best Under-21 player. Bellingham has started his Real career with 13 goals in 13 games, although the prize re­w­ards his performances in his final campaign with Borussia Dortmund.

Bellingham’s club team-mate Vinicius Jr. was awarded the Socrates Award for his humanitarian work off the pitch.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2023