Xtra Time Web Desk: Lionel Messi has beaten Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho to the Ballon d’Or 2021 award. The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar finished above the Bayern Munich striker and Chelsea midfielder to bag the accolade for the seventh time.
“It’s incredible to be here again. Two years ago I thought it was the last time. Winning the Copa America was key”, Messi said at Paris’s Theatre du Chatelet.
Messi, who joined Paris St Germain on a free transfer from Barcelona during the close of season, collected 613 points, with Bayern Munich’s Lewandowski getting 580 points.
Jorginho was voted third with 460 points after helping Chelsea and Italy win the Champions League and European Championship respectively. Real Madrid talisman Karim Benzema finished fourth in the race for the Ballon d’Or on the back of an impressive 2020-21 campaign. Jorginho’s Chelsea team-mate N’Golo Kante came fifth. Meanwhile the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappe missed out on the top five spots.
Lionel Messi scored 38 goals and provided 14 assists from 47 appearances across all competitions in what was his last season at Barcelona. The talisman has contributed seven goals in 11 matches for new club PSG across all competitions so far this campaign.
However, many would say that Lionel Messi’s biggest achievement over the course of the year was leading Argentina to the Copa America in the summer. The former Barcelona superstar added to his legacy by winning his first major trophy with his country.Apart from the Copa America, Lionel Messi also won the Copa del Rey with Barcelona.
It is hard to deny that he is deserving of the Ballon d’Or award.