LIONEL MESSI LATEST NEWS
Fifa Ballon d’Or Nominees
Lionel Messi, Franck Ribery and Cristiano Ronaldo are among 23 candidates on the short list for the Ballon d’Or announced by FIFA on Tuesday. Ribery, who won UEFA’s best player in Europe award for the 2012-13 season, helped Bayern
Considered one of the greatest footballers ever, Messi made his senior debut for Barcelona in 2004 at the age of 17. Over the following two decades, he became the symbol of the club, guiding them to multiple domestic and international victories. Renowned for his exceptional dribbling, vision, and playmaking, Messi dominated the global football scene, helping Barcelona secure 10 La Liga championships, 7 Copa del Rey trophies, and 4 UEFA Champions League titles.
On an individual level, Messi’s career is unmatched. He has won a record-breaking seven Ballon d’Or awards, which recognize the world’s best player, in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021. He also earned the Golden Shoe six times as Europe’s top scorer. His incredible goal-scoring prowess has seen him net over 700 goals in his career, including more than 670 for Barcelona, making him the club’s all-time top scorer.
On the international stage, Messi’s journey with Argentina was marked by near misses for many years. Despite early disappointments and three final losses in the FIFA World Cup (2014) and Copa América (2007, 2015, 2016), he finally won major international honours by leading Argentina to victory in the 2021 Copa América. His ultimate achievement came in 2022 when he led Argentina to win the World Cup in Qatar, solidifying his status among football’s legends. Messi was named the tournament’s best player and awarded the Golden Ball.
Currently, Messi plays for Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer (MLS) after two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain, following his departure from Barcelona in 2021.