Did you know that Lionel Messi has more FIFA Ballon D’or awards than some Football associations?
As Lionel Messi picked up his well deserved 8th FIFA Ballon D’or award, he also took over Football associations like Portugal, France, Netherlands and Germany in terms of more Ballon D’ors. And there seems to be no competition left for him to be a part of.
Remember when the Late Dutch Legend Johan Cryuff said, “By the time Leo Messi’s career ends, he will have a collection of Ballon D’Ors — 6, 7 or 8. He will be incomparable.” It happened last night. David Beckham himself made sure to be the one giving the Ballon D’or to him just like he gave him the Inter Miami contract.
But it was actually more serious than that. The faces of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe would tell you the animosity there was in the room while Messi’s wife and teammates faces’ would tell you about the amount of joy there was.
Just imagine the trophy Cabinet of his, a remembrance of all that he has done in his whole life i.e collecting Individual and team silverwares.
The extent of his greatness is such that he is not even competing against us mere humans. For Argentina and for himelf he has done something that will not be repeated again: 8 Ballon D’ors. As it was mentioned before, all of the 7 Ballon D’ors of those European nations were won by different players not the same.
Portugal
Eusebio became the first Portuguese to win Ballon D’or back in 1965 before Luis Figo became the 2nd in 2000. And 5 of those were won by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo.
France
Raymond Kopa won France’s first Ballon D’or in 1958. Then Michel Platini became the first player to win it thrice in a row from 1983-85 with Jean Pierre Papin winning in 1991. The Legendary Zinedine Zidane became the winner in 1998 and Karim Benzema last year broke a 25 y/o drought of a Frenchman winning the same.
Germany
1970: Gerd Muller, 1972: Franz Beckenbauer, 1976: Franz Beckenbauer, 1980-81: Karl Heinz Rummenigge, 1990: Lothar Matthaus and 1996: Mathias Sammer.
Netherlands
1971: Johan Cruyff, 1973-74: Johan Cruyff, 1987: Ruud Gullit, 1988-89: Marco Van Basten and 1992: Marco Van Basten.
