Azerbaijan
Burkina Faso
Chinese Taipei
Nigeria
South Africa

Lionel Messi wins record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or

sportsmole.co.uk, 30 October 2023, 21:31
Inter Miami and Argentina attacker Lionel Messi has won a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or award at Monday's ceremony in Paris.

The 36-year-old - who collected the honour from Herons co-owner David Beckham - adds the 2023 accolade to his previous awards from 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021 after spearheading Argentina's charge to their third World Cup title in Qatar.

With seven goals and three assists at the 2022 tournament, Messi took home the Golden Ball, becoming the first-ever player to win the prize on more than one occasion, as well as finishing second in the Golden Boot race behind Kylian Mbappe.

Alongside his long-awaited taste of World Cup stardom, the 36-year-old came up with 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 appearances during his second and final season with Paris Saint-Germain, including a division-high 16 Ligue 1 assists en route to the Ligue 1 title.

Alongside Messi on the podium were Manchester City's Erling Haaland, who finished second behind the former Barcelona man, and his ex-PSG teammate Mbappe in third place.

Prior to Messi's eighth coronation, the Ballon d'or Feminin - presented by world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic - went to Barcelona Women's and Spain Women's Aitana Bonmati, who formed a fundamental part of La Roja's World Cup-winning crop in 2023.

The 25-year-old midfielder registered three goals and two assists in seven World Cup starts for Spain, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament's best performer, while also recording a staggering set of numbers in her double-winning campaign with Barcelona.

Bonmati ended the 2022-23 La Liga season with nine goals and 10 assists from 23 matches, in addition to scoring five times and setting up eight more goals in 11 Champions League outings.

The Spaniard succeeds compatriot Alexia Putellas as the Ballon d'Or Feminin holder, while Chelsea's Samantha Kerr came in at second place, with Bonmati's Barcelona teammate Salma Paralluelo in third.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham took home the Kopa Trophy for the best Under-21 player, fending off Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala and Barcelona's Pedri to win the award for the first time.

Bellingham's 2022-23 season saw the 20-year-old spearhead Dortmund's Bundesliga title charge with eight goals and five assists in 31 games, but Edin Terzic's side were left crestfallen after losing the crown to Bayern on goal difference.

The former Birmingham City youngster also became the first English teenager to score in four successive Champions League games, while netting once and providing one assist during England's run to the World Cup quarter-finals.

Bellingham - who is also expected to take home the Golden Boy prize in December - becomes the first English winner of the Kopa Trophy, two years after finishing as runner-up to Pedri in 2021.

The Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper was awarded to Argentina and Aston Villa shot-stopper Emiliano Martinez, who took home the Golden Glove during La Albiceleste's run to 2022 World Cup glory.

The former Arsenal man - who was also named The Best FIFA Goalkeeper in 2022 - made a crucial last-minute save to deny Randal Kolo Muani in the final, before also thwarting Kingsley Coman during the penalty shootout.

At club level, Martinez kept 13 clean sheets in 36 Premier League games for Aston Villa to help the Lions qualify for the Europa Conference League, and he becomes the fourth recipient of the Yashin Trophy after Alisson, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Thibaut Courtois.

Elsewhere, Manchester City were named the men's Club of the Year on the back of their historic treble success in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, following in the footsteps of Manchester United's 1998-99 troupe, while La Liga and Women's Champions League holders Barcelona took home the Women's Club of the Year honour.

Haaland was presented with the Gerd Muller Trophy for the best striker, having amassed an astonishing 68 goals in 54 games for club and country, while Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior was presented with the Socrates Award for his charity work with Vini Jr Institute - which uses technology to help educate Brazilian children from poor backgrounds - and his efforts in the fight against racism.

2023 BALLON D'OR RANKINGS IN FULL

Men's Ballon d'Or:

1. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami/Paris Saint-Germain)

2. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

3. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

4. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

5. Rodri (Manchester City)

6. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

7. Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)

8. Victor Osimhen (Napoli)

9. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

10. Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

Ballon d'Or Feminin:

1. Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)

2. Samantha Kerr (Chelsea)

3. Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona)

4. Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona)

5. Mary Earps (Manchester United

6. Olga Carmona (Barcelona)

7. Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg)

8. Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona)

9. Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)

10. Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)

Kopa Trophy:

1. Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid)

2. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

3. Pedri (Barcelona)

4. Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid)

5. Gavi (Barcelona)

6. Xavi Simons (PSV Eindhoven/Paris Saint-Germain/RB Leipzig)

7. Alejandro Balde (Barcelona)

8. Antonio Silva (Benfica)

9. Rasmus Hojlund (Atalanta BC/Manchester United)

9. Elye Wahi (Montpellier HSC/Lens)

Yashin Award:

1. Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)

2. Ederson (Manchester City)

3. Yassine Bounou (Sevilla/Al-Hilal)

4. Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

5. Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona)

6. Andre Onana (Inter Milan/Manchester United)

7. Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb/Fenerbahce)

8. Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)

9. Mike Maignan (AC Milan)

10. Brice Samba (Lens)

Top News

4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sofyan Amrabat's brother has claimed that Casemiro was available for the FA Cup final and decided to remove himself from the squad after learning that he was not in Manchester United's starting XI. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk It is shaping up to be a very interesting transfer window for Manchester United. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City are reportedly keen to tie down star striker Erling Haaland to a new-and-improved contract amid fears that he could leave next year. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich are reportedly pushing to sign a 21-year-old attacker that has been linked with both Arsenal and Barcelona this summer. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly launched an unprecedented legal action against the Premier League and have discovered when their hearing into 115 charges of alleged Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches will take place. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are reportedly ready to listen to offers for one of their defenders during the summer transfer window. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid have reportedly made a decision over whether to sign Joselu on a permanent basis. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has reportedly made a decision over how to handle the goalkeeping situation at Stamford Bridge. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United and Liverpool are interested in signing Sporting Lisbon defender Goncalo Inacio in the summer, according to a report. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Algeria seek to continue their 100% start to World Cup qualifying on Thursday when they host Guinea at Stade Nelson Mandela in Algiers. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Portugal headline what is shaping up to be an interesting Group F, with Roberto Martinez's side certainly among the favourites to triumph at Euro 2024. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Euro 2024 is nearly upon us, with excitement building around the continent for the latest installment of a tournament that will crown the kings of Europe for the next four years. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Costa Rica and Saint Kitts and Nevis will face off on Thursday at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in Group B action as both sides begin their 2026 CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaigns. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea are reportedly set to compete with Premier League rivals Arsenal for the signature of RB Leipzig attacker Benjamin Sesko in the upcoming transfer window. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Belgium will have aspirations of bettering their quarter-final appearances of the last two European Championships when they get their Euro 2024 campaign underway in Group E. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea Under-21s head coach Mark Robinson has left his position to take charge of Burton Albion. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has refused to rule out moving to the Saudi Pro League in the near future. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The 24 nations that have qualified for Euro 2024 are currently on a countdown ahead of the start of the tournament on June 14. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Mauricio Pochettino has taken to social media to make his first public comments since leaving his role as Chelsea head coach. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Reece James will miss the first three games of the 2024-25 Premier League season after the Football Association dismissed Chelsea's efforts to have his ban overturned. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ronald Koeman faces decisions on how to line up his Netherlands side for Thursday's international friendly against Canada. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Is it coming home for England? Will Denmark emulate the heroes of 1992? Can Slovenia or Serbia spring a surprise? 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Netherlands continue their final preparations for Euro 2024 with an international friendly against Canada on Thursday evening. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are reportedly plotting a £10m move for Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher this summer. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Wales commence their preparations for the UEFA Nations League later this year with a friendly against international minnows Gibraltar. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The countdown to Euro 2024 is now well and truly on, with the tournament beginning on June 14. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United are reportedly on the verge of signing an in-demand teenager who has been heavily linked with a host of top European clubs. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Three-time champions Germany will begin their quest for an unprecedented fourth European title - and a first since 1996 - when they host Euro 2024 this summer. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool reportedly have plans to sign an upgrade to Wataru Endo during the summer transfer window. 4 June 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Less than 48 hours after winning a record-extending 15th European Cup, Real Madrid announced the signing of French superstar Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.