Tue 30 November 2021:
Lionel Messi of Argentina won the Ballon d’Or award for best player in the world for the seventh time on Monday, defeating Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho to win soccer’s most prestigious trophy.
After winning the Copa America for the first time with his country last July, the forward added to his 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2019 trophies.
“It’s incredible to be here again. Two years ago I thought it was the last time. Winning the Copa America was key,” Messi said at Paris’s Theatre du Chatelet.
“It is a special year for me with this Copa America title. It meant a lot to win at the Maracana stadium and I was so happy to celebrate with the people from Argentina.
“I don’t know if it’s the best year of my life, I’ve had a long career, but it was a special one with the title with Argentina after the tough times and the criticism.”
Messi, who joined PSG on a free transfer from Barcelona during the offseason, scored 613 points, while Lewandowski of Bayern Munich, who was named best striker on Monday, scored 580.
Jorginho, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and the European Championship with Italy, finished third with 460 points, ahead of Karim Benzema of France and Ngolo Kante of Niger.
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