Paris, Nov 30, : Argentina’s Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award a record-breaking seventh time.His former club Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas won the women’s award, following a stellar season with Catalan club. Messi, 34, defeated Robert Lewandowski, a Polish favorite, to win the trophy from Luis Suarez late Monday night.
The striker for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Cristiano Ronaldo, is now two victories clear.
He was sixth this year, his fifth win.This marks the first time he has been voted out of top three since 2010.
Paris Saint-Germain won the award from 2009 to 2012, and another two in 2015 or 2019, Xinhua reports.At the ceremony, held at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, Messi stated that it was “incredible to be here again.”
“Two decades ago, I thought it was the final time.” People started asking me when I was going on retirement, but now I’m in Paris and very happy,” said he.Messi won the Copa America for his country, ending his long-standing drought with the senior national team.He was also awarded the Golden Boot and was named the tournament’s best player.
Despite his shocking departure from Barcelona in August, he ended the last season in style with La Liga giants, scoring 38 goals in 48 matches and winning Copa del Rey.
“It’s been a special year for my with the Copa America title.It was a great feeling to win at Maracana stadium, and I was so happy to share the celebration with the people of Argentina,” Messi said.”I don’t know if this was the best year of mine — I have a long career, but it was special with the title with Argentina after the difficult times and the criticism.
Bayern Munich forward Lewandowski finished second with 38 points less than Messi (613 vs.580), which showed that the 170 juries around the globe highly praised the prolific striker.
Lewandowski was the favorite to win the award in 2020.However, the organisers cancelled the vote due the coronavirus pandemic.
Even Messi admitted that his biggest rival “deserved to win it” last year.
The Polish captain scored 53 goals in all competitions for Bayern in 2021 and was awarded the Striker of the Year’ prize.
This award was announced just hours before the ceremony began.
Jorginho, Chelsea’s midfielder, was third in the vote after he won the Champions League with his club, and Euro 2020 with Italy.
Karim Benzema from Real Madrid, who is enjoying a remarkable run this season, was fourth.
Putellas, who led Barcelona to a treble-winning year, won the third edition the women’s Ballon d’Or.
Her Barcelona and Spain teammate Jennifer Hermoso came in second, with Sam Kerr from Chelsea third.
The prize went to Putellas, a 27-year old Barcelona player.
Pedri, a 19-year-old, won the Kopa Trophy for best player under 21.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma won the Yashin Trophy as the best goalkeeper after helping Italy win Euro 2020.
List of 2021 Ballon d’Or winners:
Ballon d’Or – Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain, Argentina
Women’s Ballon d’Or – Alexia Putellas, Barcelona, Spain
Striker of the Year – Rober L.Lewandowski (Bayer Munichen, Poland).
Kopa Trophy – Pedri (Pedro Gonzalez Lopez), Barcelona, Spain
Yachine Trophy – Gianluigi Donarumma, Paris Saint-Germain (Italie)
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