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The 2023 Ballon d’Or winner will be revealed in Paris tonight with Aitana Bonmati favourite for the Feminin award
(AFP via Getty Images)
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Lionel Messi is celebrating after being named Ballon d’Or winner for the eighth time, extending his own record for being named the planet’s best player.
Now with Inter Miami in MLS, the 36-year-old had been seen as overwhelming favourite to claim another golden prize following Argentina’s World Cup win in Qatar at the end of last year.
Aitana Bonmati succeeded Alexia Putellas as winner of the women’s award, the Ballon d’Or Feminin. The midfielder starred for Spain during the Women’s World Cup win, as well as playing a key part in Barcelona’s incredible 2022/23 season which included a Champions League final comeback win. Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham and others also picked up awards on the night.
Follow along for the latest reaction from the Ballon d’Or awards in Paris with our liveblog below:
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Messi wins eighth Ballon d’Or as Bonmati and Bellingham pick up awards
Lionel Messi is celebrating after being named Ballon d’Or winner for the eighth time, extending his own record for being named the planet’s best player.
Aitana Bonmati succeeded Alexia Putellas as winner of the women’s award, the Ballon d’Or Feminin. The midfielder starred for Spain during the Women’s World Cup win, as well as playing a key part in Barcelona’s incredible 2022/23 season which included a Champions League final comeback win.
England did have one representative picking up an award, as Jude Bellingham picked up the first trophy of the night – the Kopa Trophy, handed out to the best young player on the planet. Previous winners include Kylian Mbappe in 2018, the inaugral year, and Barcelona’s Gavi last time out.
Full report and award winners:
Karl Matchett30 October 2023 21:50
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That’s it for tonight save for one final run-down of the prize winners: Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Emi Martinez, Erling Haaland, Barcelona Femenin, Manchester City…and, of course, Aitana Bonmati and Lionel Messi.
Congratulations to each!
Full report:
Karl Matchett30 October 2023 23:30
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Jude Bellingham after receiving his Kopa Trophy:
“I just want to thank everyone who has helped me get to this point – from Birmingham to Dortmund and now Real Madrid and the national team.
“Thanks for the support, it means a lot – and more to come.”
Karl Matchett30 October 2023 23:20
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Ballon d’Or organisers going hard on this “8”/”infinity” thing. M8ssi? Not quite having it, sorry.
Still, can’t argue with the relentlessness of those votes. Four in a row from 2009-12, then only one in six years…and bounces back with three more in five editions, one of which was cancelled. Not bad at all.
Messi says Haaland and Mbappe will one day win the Ballon d’Or; pretty sure they might well do, although also pretty sure he once said the same thing about Neymar. Time will tell, as always.
Karl Matchett30 October 2023 23:00
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Any other year, maybe Erling Haaland’s goals and trophies land him the award. But not once Messi lifted that World Cup in Qatar, it’s pretty fair to say.
Karl Matchett30 October 2023 22:40
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Here’s a great look at the award winners of the night: Messi, Bonmati, Haaland, Bellingham and Vinicius Jr, plus Barcelona’s team award.
(EPA)
(EPA)
(Getty Images)
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(AFP via Getty Images)
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Karl Matchett30 October 2023 22:20
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Messi is of course an Inter Miami player now – one of the owners being David Beckham, who just gave him the prize.
“To say he’s a Miami player and is in our city is a special thing. Like he’s said, he’ll celebrate with teammates and with his amazing family and back in Argentina,” Beckham says.
“He’ll do his best to celebrate it his own way and we’ll do our best to celebrate it in a Miami way!”
Messi gets his three sons up on stage to join in the celebrations! Nice touch.
Karl Matchett30 October 2023 21:46
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Messi continues to speak after winning his latest award:
“I never imagined to have the career I’ve had. I’ve had a lot of luck to achieve everything I have, I’ve played for the best team in the world, the best team in history. It makes it easier to win titles and individual prizes. To win the Copa America and then the World Cup after all the difficult moments with the national team, it was incredible to get it done.”
Karl Matchett30 October 2023 21:43
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Messi offers his thanks to the teammates he has been with, congratulations to the other nominees and explains how proud he is to have landed an incredible eighth Ballon d’Or.
“The players here change but the level never goes down,” Messi says about his many, many years up on that stage.
“To win the World Cup was a dream, it was really special that people from other nations wanted Argentina to win.”
Karl Matchett30 October 2023 21:35
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David Beckham is on stage to award the Ballon d’Or for the men.
Messi, Mbappe, Haaland in the running. And the winner is:
Lionel Messi! AGAIN!
Karl Matchett30 October 2023 21:32
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