Lionel Messi dedicates his eighth Ballon d’Or to Diego Maradona, saying, ‘This is for you’
Delhi: Argentina captain Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world for the eights time on Monday, defeating Norway’s UEFA player of the year and treble winner Erling Haaland of Manchester City.
Messi of Inter Miami, who last won the trophy in 2021, was instrumental in leading Argentina to their first World Cup win in 36 years when they defeated defending champions France in the final last year.
Making the moment poignant, he commemorated Argentina’s late football legend Diego Maradona, who would have turned 63 on the same day. It was David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami, who presented Messi with the Ballon d’Or.
“I couldn’t imagine having the career that I’ve had. Everything that I’ve achieved. The fortune I’ve had playing for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It’s nice to win these individual trophies. To win the Copa America and then the World Cup, to get it done is amazing,” Messi said.
Messi, after winning the World Cup for Argentina in 2022, wished Maradona was alive to see his country become world champions again. It was Maradona who led Argentina to a historic win in the 1986 World Cup.
Messi faced intense competition, notably from Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and France’s Kylian Mbappe. Haaland, with Manchester City, scored 52 goals in 53 games. However, he had to be content with second place in the Ballon d’Or race.
Mbappe, who took the third spot, had his own stellar achievements to show. With eight goals, three of which came in the championship match versus Argentina, the French football player finished as the tournament’s top scorer in 2022.
The Ballon d’Or is one of the most prestigious awards in football (soccer) and is presented annually to the best male and female football players in the world. The winner is announced through a formal ceremony, and the process typically involves the following steps:
1. Nominations: A list of nominees is selected by a panel of international journalists, coaches, national team captains, and managers. These experts and journalists nominate their top choices based on players’ performances during the previous calendar year.
2. Voting: After the nominations are announced, the voting process takes place. The panel of journalists and experts cast their votes to determine the winners. Each voter selects their top five choices, with points awarded on a 6-4-3-2-1 basis for their first to fifth choices, respectively.
3. Announcement Event: A formal ceremony is held to announce the winners. The Ballon d’Or award ceremony is typically organized by France Football, the magazine that originated the award. The ceremony is attended by football stars, coaches, and other dignitaries.
4. Revealing the Results: During the ceremony, the winners of the Ballon d’Or awards are announced. The top male and female players receiving the highest number of points from the voting process are presented with the Ballon d’Or trophies.
5. Acceptance Speech: The winners usually give an acceptance speech where they express their gratitude and share their thoughts on receiving the award.
