Lionel Messi wins Ballon d'Or for record seventh time
Lionel Messi won the men’s Ballon d’Or for a record-extending seventh time on Monday, ending the year in style, after a brilliant final season with Barcelona and earning his first major international trophy with Argentina.
Alexia Putellas became the third winner of the women’s award for an outstanding season with Barcelona and Spain.
The 34-year-old Messi led Argentina to the Copa America title in July after losing in four major international finals.
HERE IS THE WINNER!
SEVEN BALLON D’OR FOR LIONEL MESSI! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/U2SywJmruC
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021
“I am very happy to be here, happy to keep fighting for new trophies,” Messi said through a translator. “I don’t know how many years I have left, but I hope many more. I would like to thank all my (former) teammates at Barcelona and Argentina,” he added.
Messi finished with 613 points to top the ranking, while prolific Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski finished with 580 points.
“I would like to say to Robert that it was an honour to be your rival, and everyone would say you deserved to win it last year,” Messi said.
Awarded by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or has been given out to men every year since 1956, when Stanley Matthews won.
The 33-year-old Lewandowski set a new single-season scoring record for the Bundesliga with 41 goals, one more than late Germany great Gerd Müller, when he scored in the last minute of the last game.
Lewandowski netted in 19 consecutive games in all competitions for Bayern from February to September, and he just missed out on equalling the record of scoring in 16 Bundesliga games in a row. Overally, he already has 25 goals in 20 games for Bayern this season.
Lewandowski’s 11 goals in 12 games for Poland this year took his international tally to 74 in 128 games, just six less than Messi.
Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho came third with 460 points, after helping the London club win the Champions League and his nation win the European Championship. Real Madrid and France forward Karim Benzema was fourth on 239.
That smile, Alexia Putellas ! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/cvvQTxydMJ
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021
Putellas helped Barca win the treble and scored 26 goals in 42 games overall. The midfielder netted in the Champions League final against Chelsea, and in August she was named UEFA women’s player of the year.
“I am very emotional, it’s a very special moment, she said at the Paris ceremony through a translator. I would like to start by thanking all my teammates, especially my current (Barcelona) teammates. For me it’s a collective success,” Putellas said.
The previous women’s award winners are Norway striker Ada Hegerberg in 2018, and U.S. forward Megan Rapinoe in 2019. The 2020 awards were cancelled as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the season.
Putellas tallied 186 points to finish far ahead of club and country teammate Jenni Hermoso on 84.
Hermoso netted 31 goals to top the Spanish first division scoring charts for a third straight season. Hermoso was joint-top scorer in the Champions League with Chelsea’s Fran Kirby on six goals.
Chelsea and Australia striker Sam Kerr placed third in the voting after 21 goals in the English Women’s Super League and then six for Australia at the Tokyo Games. Kerr has maintained her excellent form with 13 goals in 12 games this season.
Have a good night 😴
We will see you very soon… #BallondOr pic.twitter.com/6Opu3ltvFR
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 30, 2021
Here’s the complete list of Ballon d’Or winners and the rankings after the awards:
Men’s Ballon d’Or top 10
- Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona)
- Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich)
- Jorginho (Italy/Chelsea)
- Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
- N’Golo Kante (France/Chelsea)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus – Manchester United)
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City)
- Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris SG)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy/AC Milan – Paris SG)
Women’s Ballon d’Or top 10
- Alexia Putellas (Spain/Barcelona)
- Jennifer Hermoso (Spain/Barcelona)
- Sam Kerr (Australia/Chelsea)
- Vivianne Miedema (Nederland/Arsenal)
- Lieke Martens (Nederland/Barcelona)
- Christine Sinclair (Canada/Portland Storms)
- Pernille Harder (Denmark/Chelsea)
- Ashley Lawrence (Canada/Paris SG)
- Jessie Fleming (Canada/Chelsea)
- Fran Kirby (England/Chelsea)
Kopa Trophy top 3 (young players)
- Pedri (Spain/Barcelona)
- Jude Bellingham (England/Borussia Dortmund)
- Jamal Musiala (Germany/Bayern Munich)
Yashin Trophy top 3 (goalkeepers)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italian/AC Milan – Paris SG)
- Edouard Mendy (Senegal/Chelsea)
- Jan Oblak (Slovenia/Atletico Madrid)
(With inputs from Agencies)
