That is the headline shared in the Mirror newspaper (UK) today, October 18. Lionel Messi did not win the World Golden Ball – Ballon d’Or in 2022, but after leading Argentina to World Cup 2022 glory in Qatar, the Inter Miami superstar is preparing to reclaim this award from Karim Benzema. .
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 859th goal in his career playing for club and national team in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match between Portugal and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the early morning of October 17, many 40 goals more than Messi.
Lionel Messi is expected to lift his eighth Ballon d’Or later this month, writes the Mirror, after the winners for both the men’s and women’s categories for 2023 were leaked. Messi, 36, achieved the crowning glory of his unparalleled career when he led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar in spectacular fashion last year.
Messi has two titles of top scorer and best player of the Leagues Cup. PHOTO: GETTY
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star then joined Inter Miami in July and immediately shined in MLS with a string of mesmerizing performances. Lionel Messi helped Inter Miami win the first title in the club’s history, the Leagues Cup championship, a tournament in which Messi received the title of top scorer and best player of the tournament.
Sports newspaper (Spain) reported that after missing out on the 2022 World Golden Ball to Karim Benzema, Lionel Messi was informed that he was the winner of this year’s award, before the ceremony took place in Paris. on Monday, October 30 (international time).
Regarding the women’s golden ball, Spain’s Sport newspaper added that Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati was the winner at the Chatelet Theater, after she won the 2023 Women’s World Cup with Spain by defeating England in the dramatic final in August.
Aitana Bonmati will win the women’s golden ball. PHOTO: GETTY
Lionel Messi will reach a historic milestone with the latest golden ball. Accordingly, 36-year-old Argentine superstar Messi is the first player in history to win the world golden ball while playing outside of Europe.
In addition, Lionel Messi will raise the eighth Golden Ball in his career, putting him 3 Golden Balls ahead of rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi is still the player who has won the most golden balls in world football history.
Lionel Messi faces fierce competition from Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, as well as former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe for the Golden Ball title this time. Messi winning will certainly cause a lot of controversy, because Haaland had an excellent and perfect season with Manchester City.
Messi will win his eighth Golden Ball. PHOTO: MIRROR
Erling Haaland was the top scorer in the Premier League and the Champions League last season, scoring 52 goals in 53 matches, making a major contribution to helping Man City win a historic treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe scored a memorable hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final, although France ultimately lost bitterly to Lionel Messi ‘s Argentina after a fateful penalty shootout. However, the competition for the 2023 World Golden Ball title is just a “war” between Messi and Haaland.
Lionel Messi may be the most honored football player in history but he still affirms that the World Golden Ball is important but he does not take it too seriously, Messi considers the collective title more important, especially is the World Cup.
Messi considers winning the World Cup with Argentina the most important title of his career. PHOTO: GETTY
Immediately after joining owner David Beckham’s Inter Miami, Lionel Messi said: “I have said this many times, the World Golden Ball is very important due to the recognition on a personal level, but I have never value it.
The most important thing for me is always the awards at the collective level. I’ve been lucky to achieve everything in my career and after the World Cup I think about that award much less. My biggest prize is the World Cup. Now, it’s good if the golden ball comes to me, but if not, nothing happens. I have been lucky to achieve all my goals in my career and now I have new goals with this club.”
