Messi wins Ballon d'Or for the 8th time

The Ballon d'Or awards, eagerly awaited by football fans, have been presented. Lionel Messi has received the Ballon d'Or for the 8th time.

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The award, presented by France Football magazine since 1956, found its recipient at a ceremony held at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris, the capital of France.

The ceremony was hosted by Sandy Heribert and former footballer Didier Drogba, who once played for Galatasaray.

MESSI CHOSEN AS FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR

The 36-year-old Messi, who reached the championship with the Argentina National Team at the FIFA 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar, became the winner of this award for the 8th time in his career.

In the voting, Norwegian Erling Haaland took 2nd place, and Frenchman Kylian Mbappe took 3rd place.

The awards and their recipients are as follows:

Young Player of the Year: Jude Bellingham

Socrates Award: Vinicius Jr.

Gerd Müller Award: Erling Haaland

Yashin Trophy: Emiliano Martinez

Best Women's Football Team: Barcelona Femeni

Team of the Year: Manchester City

Women's Ballon d'Or: Aitana Bonmati