Lionel Messi admitted winning the Copa America title might have been the determining factor in him winning the award ahead of Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho.
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Lionel Messi has won the men’s Ballon d’Or for a record seventh time. The 34-year-old Barcelona legend who joined Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent this summer was presented with the award for best men’s footballer in the world on Monday night in Paris after yet another sensational 12 months for club and country. The Argentine superstar admitted that winning the Copa America might have been the determining factor in him claiming the award after a turbulent year. Meanwhile Spain’s Alexia Putellas took the women’s award.
“What I achieved with Argentina was a dream come true. I think I won this trophy thanks to what we did at the Copa America, so I dedicate it to my teammates.”
Despite having to leave his boyhood club and his relatively underwhelming start to life in France, the jury of journalists from around the world rewarded him in particular for captaining La Albiceleste to its first major international trophy since 1993. Argentina pipped their rivals Brazil 1-0 in the final to bring home the trophy. Messi was the top scorer in the competition with four goals and also registered five assists. Contributing in nine out of 13 goals Argentina scored in the Copa, and he rightly won the Golden Ball award.
“Two years ago i thought i was coming into my final years but here i am again back here” said Messi.Â
“People were starting to ask me when I was going to retire but now I am here in Paris and I am very happy”
“I don’t know how many more years I have left but I hope there will be many because I am really enjoying myself this year”
Meanwhile three months prior to the international triumph, Messi scored twice in the Copa de Rey final to win his 34th and final trophy with Barcelona and finished the La Liga season as top scorer with 30 goals. The previous edition of the award in 2019 was also won by Messi. He has also won the Ballon d’Or in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.
“I’m really proud to win the France Football Ballon d’Or once again,” said Messi. “It’s incredible to win it for the seventh time. I would like to thank my family, my friends and all the people who follow me and always support me, because without them I couldn’t have done it” he said at the Chatelet Theatre in central Paris, where he was joined by his wife Antonella Roccuzzo and their three children.”Â
Bayern Munich striker Rober Lewandowski finished second in the voting with Chelsea midfielder Jorginho third in a glittering ceremony in the French capital. Lewandowski was widely expected to win last year, when the awards were canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 33-year-old Polish superstar scored an incredible 38 goals in 30 league games for Bayern in 2021.
“I wanted to say to Robert that it was an honour to go up against him. He deserved to win it last year,” Messi said.”Â
Meanwhile Jorginho had a stellar year for club and country. The Italian helped Chelsea to lift the Champions League trophy in May before playing a pivotal role in his nation’s Euro 2020 triumph. Chelsea also won the club of the year award for having most players nominated across all of the categories.
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema came fourth followed by another Chelsea player N’Golo Kante. While five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi’s closest rival Cristiano Ronaldo came sixth. Between Messi and Ronaldo they have won 12 of the last 13 awards with the exception coming in 2018 when Croatian midfielder Luka Modric won the prize.
The women’s Ballon d’Or has been awarded for only the third year and Barcelona midfielder Putellas has won the prize for her clubs first champions League triumph and Primera Division title.The only previous women’s award winners are Norway striker Ada Hegerberg in 2018 and USA forward Megan Rapinoe in 2019. The 2020 awards were cancelled because the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the season.
The 27-year-old was the highest scoring midfielder in europe with 26 goals in all competitions. She was also named UEFA Women’s Player of the year and midfielder of the year. Meanwhile her Barcelona teammate Jennifer Hermoso was second followed by Chelsea forward Sam Kerr.
