PSG forward Lionel Messi was presented with the award on Monday night in Paris after another record-breaking 12 months; Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski – favourite for the prize in 2020 before cancellation due to Covid – came second in the vote with Chelsea’s Jorginho in third
Lionel Messi has won the men’s Ballon d’Or for a record seventh time.
Messi, who left Barcelona as a free agent to sign for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, was presented with the award for best men’s footballer in the world on Monday night in Paris after another record-breaking 12 months for club and country.
He saw off competition from Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho.
“I’m really proud to win the France Football Ballon d’Or once again,” said Messi. “It’s incredible to win it for the seventh time. I would like to thank my family, my friends and all the people who follow me and always support me, because without them I couldn’t have done it”.
Meanwhile, according to Goal.com, Cristiano Ronaldo hit out at France Football’s chief editor over claims the Manchester United star said he wants to win more Ballons d’Or than Lionel Messi.
The Portugal international also dismissed the suggestion that he did not attend the Ballon d’Or (organised by France Football) ceremony on Monday because he must go into quarantine due to Covid-19.
The 36-year-old took to Instagram to refute the comments by editor-in-chief Pascal Ferre, insisting he is not against any player winning the trophy.
What has been said?
Ronaldo wrote: “Pascal Ferre said last week that I confided in him that my only ambition was to finish my career with more Golden Balls than Lionel Messi.
“Pascal Ferre lied, he used my name to promote himself and to promote the publication he works for. It is unacceptable that the person responsible for awarding such a prestigious prize could lie in this way, in absolute disrespect for someone who has always respected France Football and the Ballon d’Or. And he lied again today by justifying my absence from the Gala with an alleged quarantine that has no reason to exist.
“I always want to congratulate those who win, with the sportsmanship and fair play that has guided my career since the beginning, and I do it because I’m never against anyone. I always win for myself and for the clubs I represent, I win for myself and for those who love me. I don’t win against anyone.
“The biggest ambition of my career is to win national and international titles for the clubs I represent and for the national team in my country. The biggest ambition of my career is to be a good example for all those who are or want to be professional footballers. The biggest ambition of my career is to leave my name written in golden letters in the history of world football.
“I will end by saying that my focus is already on Manchester United’s next game and on everything that, together with my team-mates and our fans, we can still achieve this season. The rest? The rest is just the rest.”
What did Pascal Ferre say?
The France Football editor said in an interview last week that Ronaldo told him of his desire to be crowned the world’s best football more times than Paris Saint-Germain star Messi.
Ferre said: “Ronaldo has only one ambitionand that is to retire with more Ballon d’Or than Messi and I know because he told me.”
How many Ballons d’Or has Ronaldo won?
Ronaldo has won the prestigious award five times over the course of his career.
Only one player has claimed the trophy on more occasions than the ex-Real Madrid hero – Messi.
The two were billed as rivals as they dominated the award since Ronaldo’s first win in 2009.
At the presentation ceremony, Messi, who wore a sparkly dinner jacket at the ceremony in Paris, collected the honour for a record sixth time in 2019 – one ahead of great rival Cristiano Ronaldo – before the awards were cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Poland international Lewandowski, 33, who was widely expected to win last year, finished second after scoring 38 goals in 30 league games for Bayern in 2021.
Image:Jorginho was key to Chelsea’s Champions League win as well as Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph
Meanwhile, Jorginho finished third after a standout year in which he helped Italy to glory at the delayed Euro 2020 after lifting the Champions League trophy with Chelsea in May.
Chelsea also won the club of the year award for having most players nominated across all of the categories.
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling was the highest-ranked England player for the men’s award, finishing 15th, with compatriots Mason Mount, Harry Kane and Phil Foden 19th, 23rd and 25th respectively.
Why did Messi win the 2021 men’s Ballon d’Or?
In July, the 34-year-old ended his long wait for a major international trophy by winning the Copa America with Argentina as they beat hosts Brazil in the final.
Messi shared the Player of the Tournament prize with club-mate Neymar and took home the Golden Boot after registering four goals and five assists.
Three months prior, Messi scored twice in the Copa del Rey final to win his 34th – and final – trophy with Barcelona as they beat Athletic Bilbao 4-0 and finished the La Liga season as top scorer with 30 goals.
The PSG forward was the previous winner of the award in 2019 as last year’s edition was cancelled because of Covid. Messi also won the Ballon d’Or in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.
Analysis: Messi was still magical in 2021
This was the year that Lionel Messi finally won a major international trophy for Argentina. Yes, he had an Olympic gold medal already. But it was his inability to inspire the senior side to go all the way at a tournament that was so frequently held against him.
Messi was brilliant in Brazil. He was the Copa America top scorer with four goals but also registered the most assists – five of them. Against Ecuador in the quarter-final, he cleverly set up each of the first two goals before scoring the third himself.
That free-kick was one of two scored by Messi at the Copa – more than were scored by everyone at Euro 2020 combined. They were among his 15 goals scored from outside the penalty box in 2021. As his pace deserts him, other qualities have come to the fore.
His form for Barcelona during the first half of the year should not be forgotten. He scored 28 goals in 29 games, including two in a man-of-the-match performance to win the Copa del Rey in April. The team was not functioning at its best, but he remained remarkable.
Messi has made a less compelling case since swapping Barcelona for Paris, but there was still that solo goal in the win over Manchester City and two more against RB Leipzig. Only this weekend he delivered a hat-trick of assists in PSG’s 3-1 win over Saint Etienne.
It is natural to feel sympathy for Robert Lewandowski, a victim of that curious decision not to present an award in 2020. But the biggest reason to feel sorry for those men chasing individual prizes is they have the misfortune to be doing so in the era of Messi.
For some, there is a sense of fatigue at seeing him claim the Ballon d’Or for a seventh time. But sustained excellence can hardly be held against him. The Messi of a decade ago may well have been superior to the Messi of today. In 2021, there has been no man better.
Men’s Ballon d’Or final standings 2021
• 1) Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain & Barcelona)
• 2) Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich & Poland)
• 3) Jorginho (Chelsea & Italy)
• 4) Karim Benzema (Real Madrid & France)
• 5) N’Golo Kante (Chelsea & France)
• 6) Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United & Portugal)
• 7) Mohamed Salah (Liverpool & Egypt)
• 8) Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City & Belgium)
• 9) Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain & France)
• 10) Gianluigi Donarumma (Paris Saint-Germain & Italy)
• 11) Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund & Norway)
• 12) Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea & Belgium)
• 13) Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus & Italy)
• 14) Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus & Italy)
• 15 ) Raheem Sterling (Manchester City & England)
• 16) Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain & Brazil)
• 17) Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid & Uruguay)
• 18) Simon Kjaer (AC Milan & Denmark)
• 19) Mason Mount (Chelsea & England)
• 20) Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City & Algeria)
• =21) Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United & Portugal)
• =21) Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan & Argentina)
• 23) Harry Kane (Tottenham & England)
• 24) Pedri (Barcelona & Spain)
• 25) Phil Foden (Manchester City & England)
• =26) Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan & Italy)
• =26) Ruben Dias (Manchester City & Portugal)
• =26) Gerard Moreno (Villarreal & Spain)
• =29) Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea & Spain)
• =29) Luka Modric (Real Madrid & Croatia)
▪︎ Reports by Skysports.com & Goal.com