In a year in which he led Argentina to World Cup glory, Lionel Messi has been crowned Ballon d’Or winner for a record eighth time.
The 36-year-old won the tournament’s Golden Ball award, which is bestowed upon the player considered the best on the pitch by the judging panel, before almost single-handedly guiding new team Inter Miami to cup glory – despite them being, statistically, the worst team in the MLS prior to his arrival.
That was recognized by the Ballon d’Or voters, made up of the leading sports journalists from around the world, who have ordained Messi as the finest footballer on the planet eight times in a career stretching back 19 years.
Like a Fine Wine?
It’s interesting that the Paddy Power football odds for World Cup 2026 make Argentina a +900 underdog to defend their crown, with the betting online UK instead favoring the likes of France (+500), Brazil (+550), and England (+700).
The tournament will take place in the sweltering summer heat of the United States and Mexico (the games in Canada will likely be at a more agreeable temperature), which are conditions you would imagine would favor the South American contingent in particular.
All 16 logos for the 2026 FIFA World Cup host cities have been revealed 🌎
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 19, 2023
Which one is your favorite? pic.twitter.com/NS6iFkF2Oy
But Argentina’s status as an outsider is perhaps down to one reason and one reason alone: Messi will be 39 by the time the event rolls around.
It’s rare, if not impossible, that 39-year-old outfield players feature at a World Cup – particularly those who rely upon quick bursts of speed and agility as a key component of their outrageous dribbling ability.
Perhaps more pertinent for Messi is his immediate future. His Inter Miami contract will run until 2025, at which point retirement is the likely destination – albeit, in the meantime, he may well secure a loan move to his spiritual footballing home, FC Barcelona, during the Major League Soccer off-season.
Of course, it’s also possible that at the age of 36 and after a hectic season, the Argentine may instead opt just to put his feet up and enjoy the Miami sunshine until the new MLS season gets underway, which will likely be in February 2024.
Best of the Best
This eighth Ballon d’Or win creates daylight between Messi and his nearest challenger when it comes to victories in the prestigious award: Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese forward is the older man at 38, and having decided to see out the remainder of his playing days in Saudi Arabia, it seems highly unlikely that he will add to his five Ballon d’Or trophies.
To highlight the dominance of Messi and Ronaldo in the Ballon d’Or, only two players still active on the soccer field – Karim Benzema and Luka Modric – have won the award in the past 16 years.
Will any of these Lionel Messi records ever be broken? 🐐 pic.twitter.com/FqTyGZoIoZ
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 31, 2023
The eventual retirement of football’s two modern greats will leave a vacuum at the head of the sport, so guys in their late teens or early twenties now will have a chance to win multiple Ballon d’Or awards themselves if they ascend to the levels reached by Messi and Ronaldo.
But to win eight? That’s a level that only the greatest that the sport has ever seen can reach.
