Leo Messi has conquered this Monday, ahead of Robert Lewandowski and the Italian Jorginho, his seventh Golden Ball as the best footballer of the year, which confirms him as the most awarded footballer in the history of the award, at the gala that the magazine France Football It was held at the Chatelet Theater in Paris and was presented by former Ivorian player Didier Drogba along with French journalist Sandy Heribert.
The former FC Barcelona player, now in the ranks of Paris Saint-Germain, thus revalidates the trophy he already received in 2019, the last year that the awards were given before the suspension in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and adds the seventh to its collection after those obtained in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019,
The conquest of the Copa América —after three lost finals with the Albiceleste— has been his best endorsement in an irregular season, the last one with the Barça shirt and in which despite everything he was top scorer in LaLiga Santander and champion of the Copa del Rey. “It is incredible to be here again. Two years ago I said that they were my last years, that I did not know what was going to happen, and now I have to be here again. After that they began to ask me when I was going to retire and today I have to be in Paris, I am very happy and very excited, eager to continue fighting for new challenges. I don’t know how much I have left, but I hope a lot, because I love this, “he said after collecting the award from his Uruguayan friend Luis Suarez, with whom he coincided for many years at Barça and now in the ranks of Atlético de Madrid.
In addition, Leo thanked his “teammates from Barcelona and PSG” for the award, and, “especially”, to the coaching staff and teammates from the Argentine team. “Other times I had to win this award and I always had the feeling that something was missing, that I had a little thorn saved, and this year I was able to get the dream that I wanted so much after having fought and having had many stumbles. This award is largely due to what we did in the Copa América, “he said, before remembering his wife, children, brothers, parents, nephews and brothers-in-law, present at the gala.
To Lewandowski: “You deserve the Ballon d’Or”
On the other hand, he had a special mention for the Polish Robert Lewandowski, Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich and current Golden Boot, who finished second in the vote and also raised the award for Scorer of the Year. “I want to tell Robert that it is an honor for me to fight him. You deserve your Ballon d’Or. Last year everyone agreed that you were the winner. I believe that France Football It should give you your Ballon d’Or and have it as you deserved. I wish France Football I can give it to you and have it in your home, because you were just the winner. You have to have it in your house, “he said.
The podium was completed by the Italian Jorginho (Chelsea), who crowned their spectacular 2021 with a third place, in which they won the Eurocup and the Champions League.
The Frenchman from Real Madrid finished in the top 10 Karim Benzema, room; Frenchman N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea), fifth; the portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), sixth; the Egyptian Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), seventh; Belgian Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), eighth; the French Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain), ninth; and the Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), tenth.
Out of the top ten were the Norwegian Erling haaland (Borussia Dortmund), eleventh, the Brazilian from PSG Neymar, sixteenth, or the Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez, who finished seventeenth.
Regarding the Spanish representation among the 30 nominees, the FC Barcelona striker Pedri gonzalez was the best classified, twenty-fourth, while the Villarreal striker Gerard Moreno finished 26th - tied with Inter player Nicolò Barella and Manchester City player Ruben Dias - and Chelsea defender César Azpilicueta, twenty-ninth with Real Madrid’s Croatian Luka Modric.
Donnarumma, best goalkeeper
For his part, the Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma He was awarded the Yashin Trophy, which highlights the best goalkeeper of the year, for his conquest of the European Championship in the summer in which he left AC Milan for Paris Saint-Germain, prevailing in the vote for LaLiga Santander goalkeepers as the Belgian goalkeeper of Real Madrid Thibaut Courtois and the Slovenian from Atlético de Madrid Jan Oblak.
“Thanks to my teammates and my former Milan teammates, they all helped me to be better,” he said. “Winning the European Championship with Italy was incredible, I have no words to describe all that. I want to thank my family and all the people who have made it possible for me to get this award,” he said.
In addition to the award for Scorer of the Year, which recognized Robert Lewandowski, the award was also given to the best Team of the Year, which received the Chelsea English for the conquest of the Champions League.
The ten finalists of the Ballon d’Or
.1. Leo Messi (Paris Saint-Germain / ARG)
.2. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich / POL)
.3. Jorginho (Chelsea / ITA)
.4. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid / FRA)
.5. N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea / FRA)
.6. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United / POR)
.7. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool / EGI)
.8. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City / BEL)
.9. Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain / FRA)
10. Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG / ITA)
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