Lionel Messi, the legendary soccer icon, is poised to clinch his eighth Ballon d’Or, including one other jewel to his already illustrious profession.
This news comes scorching on the heels of the untimely revelation of the 2023 Ballon d’Or winners, each within the female and male classes.
At the age of 36, Messi reached the top of his unparalleled journey when he orchestrated Argentina’s spectacular World Cup victory in Qatar simply final 12 months.
His spellbinding performances with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are etched in soccer historical past, but it surely was his triumphant management within the nationwide colours of Argentina that wrote a brand new chapter in his legend.
He launched into a brand new journey with Inter Miami in July, instantly setting Major League Soccer (MLS) ablaze together with his trademark brilliance.
Notably, Lionel Messi narrowly missed out on the 2022 Ballon d’Or, with the consideration going to Karim Benzema.
However, the grapevine means that this time, the Argentine maestro has been discreetly knowledgeable of his impending triumph.
The grand ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 30 in Paris, the place the long-lasting Chatelet Theater will bear witness to historical past.
Meanwhile, the feminine award is about to shine on Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati, celebrating her victory in securing the Women’s World Cup with Spain, a dramatic feat achieved by beating England in a gripping remaining final August.
This Ballon d’Or win isn’t just one other feather in Messi’s cap; it symbolizes a historic first – an award winner from outdoors of Europe.
Furthermore, it propels him three titles forward of his everlasting rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, marking yet one more chapter of their enduring rivalry.
Lionel Messi needed to fend off fierce competitors, notably from Manchester City’s prolific striker, Erling Haaland, and his former PSG compatriot, Kylian Mbappe.
However, it’s his heroic feats in Qatar which have forged him because the frontrunner on this race.
Erling Haaland’s beautiful achievement of a treble with Manchester City within the earlier season, boasting an astonishing 52 objectives in 53 video games, solidifies his place as a formidable contender.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe left an indelible mark with a memorable World Cup remaining, bagging a scintillating hat trick towards Messi’s Argentina, regardless of an underwhelming marketing campaign for PSG.
Yet, amid all these accolades and honors, Messi stays characteristically humble, underscoring his concentrate on the collective achievements of his groups.
He as soon as expressed, shortly after his transfer to Inter Miami: “I have said it many times, the Ballon d’Or is very important due to the recognition at the individual level, but I never gave it importance. The most important thing for me was always the awards at the group level. I was lucky to have achieved everything in my career, and after the World Cup, I’m thinking about that award much less, my biggest award was that, and I am disguising my moment. If it arrives, good, and if not, nothing happens. I was lucky to achieve all my goals in my career, and now I have new goals with this club.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com