Tag Archives: France Football

Lionel Messi Leads 30-Player List of 2023 Ballon d’Or Candidates

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Lionel Messi is back in the running for one of soccer’s biggest honors…

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star and Erling Haaland lead the 30-player list of candidates for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award after France Football magazine announced the nominees.

Lionel MessiMessi’s nomination comes a year after he was omitted from the shortlist. Should he win the men’s Ballon d’Or this year, it would mark his eighth time winning the award — the second most is Cristiano Ronaldo with five.

In February, Messi also won the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for a second time.

Ronaldo, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, didn’t make the cut for the first time since 2003.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30.

Messi led Argentina to win the 2022 World Cup in December — the only major trophy that had eluded him in his 21-year career — finally claiming the trophy at his fifth attempt.

At the club level, Messi had a mixed year. He struggled at Paris Saint-Germain as the French side were dumped out of the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage for a second consecutive season, although he did help the side lift an 11th Ligue 1 title.

However, he ended his stay in Paris this summer, opting to join Inter Miami on a free transfer, where he has made an instant impact by helping them to win the Leagues Cup and claim a spot in the final of the U.S. Open Cup.

Haaland could provide Messi’s strongest competition for the award.

The Norway striker scored 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions as Manchester City clinched the Premier League, FA Cup and the Champions League titles.

The 23-year-old broke the Premier League‘s single-season scoring record with 36 goals in his debut campaign in England.

The striker also won a number of individual awards for his stunning performances, including PFA Player of the Year, Premier League’s Player of the Season and Football Writers’ Association‘s Men’s Player of the Year.

Unsurprisingly, players from Manchester City and Argentina dominate this year’s list of nominees. Seven players who helped City win the treble last season, including Haaland, made the shortlist, while there are four Argentine players, including Messi, who were part of their country’s third World Cup triumph.

Full list of men’s Ballon d’Or nominees:
André Onana – Manchester United/Cameroon
Josko Gvardiol – Manchester City/Croatia
Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad
Jamal Musiala – Bayern Munich/Germany
Mohamed Salah – Liverpool/Egypt
Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid/England
Bukayo Saka – Arsenal/England
Randal Kolo Muani – Paris Saint-Germain/France
Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City/Belgium
Bernardo Silva – Manchester City/Portugal
Emiliano Martínez – Aston Villa/Argentina
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Napoli/Georgia
Rúben Dias – Manchester City/Portugal
Nicolo Barella – Inter Milan/Italy
Erling Haaland – Manchester City/Norway
Yassine Bounou – Al Hilal/Morocco
Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal/Norway
Julián Álvarez – Manchester City/Argentina
Ilkay Gündogan – Barcelona/Germany
Vinícius Júnior – Real Madrid/Brazil
Lionel Messi – Inter Miami/Argentina
Rodri – Manchester City/Spain
Lautaro Martínez – Inter Milan/Argentina
Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid/France
Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona/Poland
Kylian Mbappé – Paris Saint-Germain/France
Kim Min-jae – Napoli/South Korea
Victor Osimhen – Napoli/Nigeria
Luka Modric – Real Madrid/Croatia
Harry Kane – Bayern Munich/England

Lionel Messi Wins Record Sixth Ballon d’Or

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Make that a whopping six for Lionel Messi…

The 32-year-old Argentine soccer star became the first men’s footballer to win the Ballon d’Or award for a sixth time, taking the award for the world’s top men’s player on Monday at a Paris gala.

iLionel Messi

Messi scored 46 times for club and country in 2019 — including the only goal in FC Barcelona‘s 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday. He also helped the Camp Nou side win La Liga.

Messi beat out Liverpooldefender Virgil van Dijk, who was instrumental in helping Liverpool win the Champions League, for the award voted on by a panel of international journalists.

“I am very lucky, I am blessed. I hope I will continue for a long time,” Messi told reporters. “I realize that I’m lucky even if one day it will be time to retire.

“It will be tough, but I still have some years ahead of me. Time flies, so I will enjoy football and my family.”

Messi also came out on top in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015 and he is now one clear of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has five.

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane finished fourth behind Ronaldo in the final voting.

“It was amazing,” Van Dijk said. “There are a couple of players like him [Messi] who are fantastic. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved with Liverpool and Holland. It’s going to be tough [to win the award] when these guys are around.”

Messi’s and Ronaldo’s 10-year grip on the award organized by France Footballmagazine was ended last year by Luka Modric.

But Messi was back on top of his game over the past 12 months. He scored 36 times last season en route to a 10th Spanish La Liga title, and was the Champions League top scorer. His goals in La Liga also made him the top scorer in Europe’s biggest leagues, earning him the Golden Shoeaward.

“A few years ago, I received my first Ballon d’Or here in Paris,” Messi said. “I was 22 years old. It was something unthinkable at the time. Today is my sixth Ballon d’Or. As my wife used to say, you should never stop dreaming but always work to improve and continue to enjoy yourself.”

United States soccer star Megan Rapinoewon the Women’s Ballon d’Oraward after being voted the tournament’s best player and joint top scorer as the USWNTwon the 2019 World Cupin France.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was the first-ever recipient of the Yachine Trophy, given to the best goalkeeper. The 27-year-old Brazilian international beat out Marc-Andre ter Stegen of Barcelona and countryman Ederson of Manchester City.

Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt, a key player in Ajax Amsterdam‘s thrilling run to the Champions League semifinals and now at Juventus, won the Kopa Trophyfor the best under-21 male player in the world.

Messi Remains the World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Player

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Lionel Messi could be called Mr. Money Bags…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star, a forward for Barcelona, is still the world’s highest-paid soccer player, according to a report to be published in Tuesday’s edition of France Football magazine.

Lionel Messi

Messi’s income stands at $84.3 million, according to the report.

His earnings in 2015 went up by $10.2 million compared to 2014, to surpass Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo at $76.9 million and Barcelona’s Neymar, who came third with $49.6 million.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Angel di Maria of Argentina was the top-earning player in France with $27.3 million, according to the report.

The report explained that the estimates took into account “players’ pre-tax salaries, sponsorship revenues and various bonuses.”

The report added that Jose Mourinho is still the highest-paid coach with $27.3 million, although he was fired from Chelsea last December.