Lionel Messi relinquished his eighth Ballon d’Or trophy, only four months subsequent to triumphing over Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe for the prestigious accolade.
The 36-year-old, leading Argentina to a groundbreaking World Cup victory in 2022, secured his eighth Ballon d’Or at a Paris ceremony, further extending his record.
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Following a remarkable season with Paris Saint-Germain in 2022/23, where he scored 21 goals and assisted 20 times, Messi was acknowledged for his outstanding contributions for both club and country.
Speaking on stage, he said: “Thank you very much, to share this with my national team-mates for what we were able to achieve with the national team. The entire group, the coaching staff, everyone involved.
“I’m delighted to be here once more to be able to enjoy this moment one more time.”
Presently, the forward for Inter Miami has contributed his latest Ballon d’Or award to the Barcelona museum, as reported by journalist Miquel Blazquez, shedding light on his rationale behind the gesture.
“Although he did not win it as a Barca footballer, the Argentine star has made the gesture of giving it up so that it can be displayed along with the other seven he has won,” Blazquez said. “Impossible not to miss him.”
Soon after, video footage surfaced from the Barcelona museum, featuring the 2023 Ballon d’Or trophy displayed alongside Messi’s array of accomplishments, which notably includes two Golden Boot awards.
The segment devoted to Messi was inaugurated back in 2016, marking the initial instance where Barcelona allocated an exclusive area to an active player.
Jordi Penas, the museum’s director, elucidated that the creation of this space was in response to a genuine desire from Barcelona supporters who frequented the beloved Camp Nou Experience.
“The visitors really wanted something like this,” he said. “They want to feel closer to Barca’s hero.
“It makes it clear that Barça is about emotions and sensations and that as well as showing our history. The club is also a world of excitement and fantasy and who better to show that excitement and fantasy than Leo Messi.”
Messi gave a typically humble response when asked if he could win the award for the ninth time in his career.
Speaking to L’Equipe last year, he said: “If I dream for the ninth Ballon d’Or? No, no, I stopped thinking about the Ballon d’Or a while ago, and winning it was never a priority for me, especially now that I have achieved everything in my career.
“I think it’s the last Ballon d’Or and I’m happy to have achieved everything and be the player with eight Ballon d’Ors.”
