Lionel Messi emerged victorious at the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony, extending his record of wins to eight awards. The decision gave a lot to talk about, since Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe also made a strong case to win the prize.
However, neither the Norwegian star nor the Frenchman looked upset with the result. Both players congratulated the Argentine superstar on social media, but if there were any doubts about their thoughts, Mbappe made sure to clear them in a press conference with the French national team.
“Lionel Messi had to win the Ballon d’Or, he won the World Cup, he’s one of the greatest in history, if not the greatest for me,” Mbappe said, via L’Equipe. “Erling Haaland had a great season, me too, but next to winning a World Cup it doesn’t weigh much. On the night of 18th December I knew that I had lost the World Cup and the Ballon d’Or too. Leo deserved it.”
Messi’s road to his eighth Ballon d’Or win
Messi put himself in pole position for the award to the best player of the 2022-23 season by taking Argentina to an epic World Cup victory in Qatar. At 35, the former Barcelona star put the team on his back by scoring seven goals in as many games, including a brace in the final against France.
Kylian Mbappe controls the ball against Lionel Messi during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final between Argentina and France in Qatar.
Leo stepped up when it mattered the most for La Albiceleste, coming to the rescue in the group stage clash against Mexico and scoring in every knockout stage game. In the end, Messi lifted a trophy that was elusive to him throughout his career.
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His candidacy to the Ballon d’Or was questioned because of his campaign with Paris Saint-Germain. While his World Cup performance was outstanding, Messi didn’t look like the same player when playing for the French side. That said, he still recorded 16 goals along with 16 assists in 32 Ligue 1 games. In addition, Messi scored both four goals and four assists in seven Champions League matches.
But since PSG fell short in Europe and lacked consistency in the domestic league, Messi’s club season wasn’t so impressive. However, as Mbappe said, many agree that the World Cup matters more than anything else, which is why Messi was widely seen as the best player of the season. The Argentine star got 462 points in the Ballon d’Or vote, way more than Haaland’s 357 points and Mbappe’s 270 points.
Messi believes this was his last Ballon d’Or
At 36, Messi knows that winning a ninth Ballon d’Or may not be on the cards. At this stage of his career, he already is satisfied with everything he’s accomplished. Besides, he thinks a new generation of stars, led by Haaland and Mbappe, will take over.
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“If I dream for the ninth Ballon d’Or? No, no, I stopped thinking about the Ballon d’Or a while ago, and winning it was never a priority for me, especially now that I have achieved everything in my career. I think it’s the last Ballon d’Or and I’m happy to have achieved everything and be the player with 8 Ballon d’Ors,” he told L’Equipe.
Messi is enjoying a new chapter of his life in the United States. This year, he shocked the world by joining Inter Miami, but looks happy with the decision. His contract with the Herons runs through the 2025 MLS season.
