PARIS: Argentinian football star Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time in his career at a ceremony in Paris on Monday.
According to western media reports Messi, 36, has been awarded the prize for his performances last season, when he led Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Qatar.
Last year French footballer Karim Benzema won the prestigious prize.
Messi won the prize in a stiff competition from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in particular.
Haaland stood second in the final voting, with Mbappe third and Kevin De Bruyne secured the fourth place.
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Former Barcelona superstar Messi scored seven goals at the World Cup and was named the tournament’s best player after Argentina defeated France on penalties in the final in Doha.
Messi, won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009. He also had an underwhelming final season at Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi’s award is another achievement in his long battle for best player of his generation with the Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who is second on the all-time list with five of the awards.
This year’s Ballon d’Or awards, announced at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, covering performances from August 2022 to July 2023.
