Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or, breaks record as he reaches six wins

By
Roy Nemer
-
27

Congratulations to Lionel Messi on winning the Ballon d’Or.

A record number six for Lionel Messi. A record that will likely take years to be broken, if ever. No one has dominated the sport with the consistency and at the level in which Messi has done. For over a decade, Messi has made the impossible possible.

Lionel Messi beat out Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool and the Netherlands in the votes.

Winning his first ever Ballon d’Or back in 2009, Messi would become the first player from Argentina to win the trophy. Very few people could have predicted the decade he would have with both Argentina and Barcelona. Only 22 when he won the first one, he had come off a treble winning season, one which would eventually see Messi win all six possible trophies available. Messi would receive 473 out of a possible 480 points.

The second would come in 2010, the very next year. Despite not winning the Champions League or progressing far in the World Cup, Messi’s influence on the game was too strong to deny. Scoring 60 goals for Barcelona that year, he won the Ballon d’Or despite his two team mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta lifting the World Cup. Messi received 22.65 percent of the votes.

A third one in three years for Messi. He was putting up typical Messi numbers, 53 goals in 55 club games. He would join an elite list of players having won the Ballon d’Or three times. Previously, only Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten had won it three times.

Number four was up for Messi in four years. Scoring a record breaking 91 goals in a calendar year, Messi was on his way. It was 79 goals for Barcelona and 12 for Argentina. To this day he remains the only player to have won it four years in a row.

It would take Messi a few more years before getting to number five. A second treble win would mean another Ballon d’Or for the Argentina captain.

Putting up numbers which only he could put up, Messi scored 54 times and dominated in dribbles and assists. Now already 32 years old, no one would bet against this one being Messi’s last.

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27 Comments

  2. Many said that Mane or Van Dijk deserves more as they won the Champions League. But the truth is Messi played in a shit Barca and carried the entire team on his shoulders: Suarez injured all the time, Busquets and Pique getting old, Alba lost his form, Arthur and Dembele totally overrated,…etc.

  3. Although those kind of trophies do not mean a lot to me, i am really happy for Messi because he deserved it more than anyone else, i am (actually i always were) very proud of him. Don’t get me wrong, i am not trying to underestimate the value of this trophy, all i want to say is that regardless how many ballon dors messi wins, messi can only be compared with maradona, nobody else! I have seen many phenomemal players, too many from Argentina, and from other countries as well, but Messi and Maradona are on their own level, they are the two best players ever played the game and then come all the rest. This is a fact and cannot be affected if fifa decides to do the obvious or not, because Messi is by far the best, he is incomparable, that is why i am very proud of him! Congratulations Leo! As i said i have seen many great players but when Messi retires, football will never be the same again.

    However, the sad thing is how the best player of all time along with Diego has not won anything with one of the most prestigious and arguably (at least to me and i can assure you to many other people as well) the most special team, Argentina.
    This is a shame, i am getting way too annoyed when i think about it. Messi does not need ballon dors to show his worth. He is the best, plain and simple. Messi needs a title with Argentina, not for proving anything, he is the best anyway, but just because he really deserves this, both him and Argentina.

    Ebo: “Justice will prevail very soon and Argentina will win a major international trophy”.
    I really hope so brother.

  4. Thank you Leo for inspiring millions of football lovers, especially kids around the world and for making millions and millions love this game.
    Maradona made me an Argentine fan and you made my children and many others Argentine fans.

  5. Simply the Best. Argentina should be proud of this man. I’ve lived two eras, Maradona’s and Messi’s and I say that Messi is by far the best argentine football player.

  7. That is great. The only individual award for Messi that makes difference for me. He deserves to have more than Ronaldo. Now waiting for Copa America 2020 conquista with our new, cheeky, rebuilded team.

  9. Back in 2006 when Zidane retired, I thought it would be a long time to enjoy pure talent in football, but the wait was not that long, in 2 years Messi came to top every footballer on planet, but now when the day comes and he retires, I think it will be impossible to witness such talent in my life time, so Let us enjoy the remaining of his career. Thank you Leo for inspiring all the kids around the world and for making millions and millions love this game.

  10. Messi should have won 10 by now. most consistent player in history. talk about 10 or 11 years at top level. congrats to Argentina for having this wizard.

  11. Argentina has very good team now.Forwards midfielder and fefenders are all good but we do not have world class goalkeeper.Andrada looks good for his counter attacking approach but he needs to be good shot stopper.He is ahead of every one right now then Armani and Musso comes.Andrada needs to up his game to become world class goalkeeper.

  13. More than his win of the ballon d or , I would say justice has been served .
    It was a disgrace of how both FIFA and France football treated him despite him putting up performances season in season out ,which players could only dream of .
    I am celebrating this win more as a victory of truth and justice .
    At least we can assure ourselves that the ballon d or got into the right hands.

  14. Guys in order for us to win we need good players like Barcelona defender and midfielders yes Barcelona was in crisis last season this season as well Messi carried that team but he had good team also goalkeeper like Ter Stegen the best goalkeeper in the world. We need a goalkeeper and a defender and midfielder like Barc we have better striker than Barcelona. Most importantly we need team.

  16. Messi did it again Congratulations for the great achievement and to all Messi fans. We are all blessed and lucky to watch Messi as he made football a beautiful game with touching art of spirit and possibility.

    Next big target is Copa 2020. May the force be with him

  20. Can someone please translate what Messi said during the ceremony. I have never seen him talk so much.
    It’s a JOY to watch him. I rarely ever miss a match he plays.

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