After winning the Ballon d’Or 2023 at a ceremony in Paris on October 30th, Lionel Messi expressed gratitude towards his national team and fans from Argentina. He took time to appreciate their support and acknowledge their role in his success.
“When I won the Ballon d’Or in 2023, I felt that my achievement was shared with my team,” said Messi. “This award is a gift for not only my teammates but for the entire country of Argentina.”
Messi also mentioned Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, two players who are immediately behind him in the race. He believes that both opponents have had an incredible year in terms of individual and team performance. “Haaland had a spectacular year and won everything,” Messi added. “I have no doubt that in the coming years, he and Mbappe will win this award.”
Messi also acknowledges that the event brought together many other young talents. He believes that with these players, he will continue to witness beautiful football in the coming years. Messi thinks that generations of players are constantly changing, but the level of play never decreases.
Looking back on his career, Messi admits that he never thought he would one day achieve all of his football goals like he has today. According to him, playing for the best teams in the world and in history, such as Barca and the Argentine national team, is the reason why he has won titles and personal awards more easily.
Messi recalls the challenging matches he had with the Argentine national team, including their World Cup 2022 opener loss to Saudi Arabia. “I’ve had some terrible moments and played poorly,” Messi adds. “However, I’ve never given up. I’ve fought relentlessly for the desire to win the Copa America and World Cup. I’m proud that I’ve never stopped trying.”
After the Ballon d’Or in 2023, Messi plans to continue his love for football. Despite no longer playing in Europe, the 36-year-old striker still desires the joy of the sport. “The only thing left is to continue enjoying football,” says Messi. “I have never stopped enjoying football. It’s something that I love to do. As long as I can keep playing, I will continue to enjoy it.”
The 2023 Ballon d’Or is the eighth one in Messi’s career. He previously won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021. Messi has set a new record for the most number of wins, while also widening the gap with the second-ranked player, Cristiano Ronaldo, to three Ballon d’Or trophies. The legends Marco Van Basten, Johan Cruyff, and Michel Platini share the third spot with three Ballon d’Or wins each.
During the 2023 Ballon d’Or voting period, Messi led the Argentina national team to victory in the 2022 World Cup. He also earned two individual awards, the Ballon d’Or World Cup 2022 and the Silver Boot for being the second-highest scorer in the tournament held in Qatar. Turning to club-level play, the 36-year-old striker added another Ligue 1 title with PSG and a Leagues Cup win with Inter Miami to his impressive resume. Meanwhile, Mbappe and the French team only lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout during the World Cup final. The 24-year-old forward also won the Golden Boot World Cup, the Silver Ball World Cup, and Ligue 1.
Although he didn’t participate in the World Cup, Haaland has achieved greater success than any other player at the club level. In the 2022-2023 season, the 23-year-old Norwegian striker scored 52 goals in 53 matches for Manchester City, playing an important role in bringing home a treble of the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup. In August, UEFA awarded Haaland as the best player of the season, while Messi came in second place.
