PARIS: Lionel Messi won the men's Ballon d'Or for a record-extending seventh time, 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.
I'm very happy to be here, happy to keep fighting for new trophies, he said through a translator on Monday.
I don't know how many years I have left, but I hope many more. I'd like to thank all my (former) teammates at Barcelona and Argentina.
Messi finished with 613 points to top prolific Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski on 580.
I would like to say to Robert that it's an honor 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.
Both 2020 awards were canceled because the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the season.
This story is from the December 01, 2021 edition of Millennium Post Delhi.
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This story is from the December 01, 2021 edition of Millennium Post Delhi.
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