Ballon d’Or 20 21: Messi Wins Seventh award

Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina has won the Ballon d’Or – the honor given to the finest footballer of the year – for a record seventh time.

Messi, 34, helped Argentina win the Copa America for the first time, and he has 40 goals in 2021, including 28 for Barcelona, four for PSG, and eight for Argentina.

While the Argentine great, Messi, had reason to celebrate a feat that will take generations to equal, Cristiano Ronaldo, his main rival, issued a furious statement a few hours before the results were released, blasting claims from Ballon d’Or chief Pascal Ferre that his career ambition was to finish with more awards than his rival Lionel Messi, who finished sixth in the rankings.

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The Manchester United star sent out a lengthy retort to comments made by Ferre to the New York Times that he always had Messi in his sights during their bitter rivalry for the year gong. Ronaldo was absent from yesterday night’s awards ceremony – run by publication France Football – and the Manchester United star sent out a lengthy retort to comments made by Ferre to the New York Times that he always had Messi in his sights amid their bitter rivalry for the year gong.

After missing out on a spot in the top five, he was defeated by the Argentine. He had edged out Gigi Donnarumma, Kylian Mbappe, Kevin de Bruyne, and Mo Salah for the title, but he didn’t receive enough votes to take home his sixth.

“Ronaldo has only one desire, and that is to retire with more Ballon d’Or than Messi, as he told me,” Ferre stated.

Ferre had used his name to promote his name, his publication, and the ceremony, according to the player, who insists that he wins for himself and his clubs, and that his career aims are to make an effect on the game, win as many trophies as possible, and set an example for young players.

“Today’s result explains Pascal Ferre’s words last week,” he said on Instagram, “when he stated that I confided in him that my only ambition was to conclude my career with more Golden Balls than Lionel Messi.”

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Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich and Poland came in second, Jorginho of Chelsea and Italy came in third, and Karim Benzema of Real Madrid came in fourth.

The Ballon d’Or is voted on by 180 journalists from around the world, yet due to the coronavirus pandemic, there will be no award in 2020.

From 2008 until 2019, the award was won by either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo (five times), with the exception of 2018, when it was won by Croatia midfielder Luka Modric.

Messi had already won the award more times than any other player, with victories in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, and now 2019.

Lewandowski received the ‘Striker of the Year’ award, a new title revealed just hours before the ceremony. He scored 53 goals in all competitions for Bayern in 2021.

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Gianluigi Donnarumma of Paris St-Germain received the Yashin Trophy for outstanding goalkeeper, while Chelsea was named Club of the Year after winning the Champions League.