Dream - The Ballon d'Or awards night at Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, France, on Monday night, October 30, 2023, local time, it was actually predictable who the winner would be. Because at the peak of the award announcement event, it was presented by David Beckham, the English football legend and owner and President of Inter Miami football club, United States. And, when the camera focused on the faces of the three award finalists, Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), and Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), it seemed that all the attendees and viewers already knew who would be the winner.

On the podium, David Beckham immediately opened the envelope and announced Lionel Messi as the winner. Not surprising. However, as Messi stepped onto the stage, the audience in attendance at the gala event immediately applauded while standing. Messi received the award after winning a poll conducted by 100 journalists worldwide. He surpassed Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe for this prestigious award from France Football magazine.

The captain of the Argentina national team is ranked first with a total of 462 points. He has a lead of 105 points over the second-ranked Erling Haland, who obtained 367 points. Meanwhile, Mbappe, who took the third position, only achieved 270 points. This is Messi's eighth award. Messi last won this award in 2021. The success of leading the Argentina national team to win the 2022 World Cup, their first in the last 36 years in Qatar last season, was an important factor in his selection.

On the stage, Messi said, "First and foremost, I have to congratulate everyone who has been nominated for this award. I have to share this award with my teammates and everything we have achieved together with the national team. The whole team, coaching staff, and everyone involved played their part in winning the World Cup. Hats off to Erling (Haaland), Kylian (Mbappe), and Kevin for having fantastic seasons. Many of you are still young and have achieved a lot. There is still plenty of time for you to replace me." "I am happy to be here once again to enjoy this moment. I have achieved my dream of winning the World Cup, but I share it with everyone involved."

"I am happy to be here once again to enjoy this moment once again. I have achieved my dream of winning the World Cup, but I share it with everyone involved," Messi also wished a happy birthday to Diego Maradona, the Argentine legend who would have turned 63 today. "I have to mention Diego Maradona. This is for you too." "All the awards I have won here are very special, and it is always special to be acknowledged," he said from the podium.***"

In the 2022-23 season, Lionel Messi scored 42 goals and provided 26 assists. He won the World Cup, Ligue 1 France, and Trophee des Champions. When Lionel Messi was announced as the winner of the Ballon d'Or 2023, he became the second oldest player to receive the award at the age of 36 years, four months, and six days. The Inter Miami player surpassed Karim Benzema to rank third in the list of oldest Ballon d'Or winners of all time. The former Real Madrid player won the trophy at the age of 34 years, nine months, and 29 days in 2022.

While the oldest Ballon d'Or winner is still held by Stanley Matthews. The English forward won the title at the age of 41 years, 10 months, 17 days in 1956 while playing for Stoke City and Blackpool. In the 2023 Ballon d'Or competition, Messi defeated two young players as his closest competitors, namely Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe. Messi's success in winning the 2022 World Cup title has already established him as the world's best player once again.

"In addition, Messi's performance with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Miami cannot be overlooked. With PSG, he brought home the French League and Trophee des Champions titles last season. Furthermore, Messi also helped Inter Miami become champions of the MLS Cup. The Ballon d'Or 2023 is Messi's eighth title since winning it for the first time in 2009. This record makes him the football player with the most Ballon d'Or awards in history, surpassing his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo who has five trophies."

Messi has won eight Ballon d'Or awards starting from the year 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and now in 2023.***Messi was born on June 24, 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. He is currently 36 years old. He is the third child out of four siblings of Jorge Messi, a steel factory manager, and his wife Celia Cuccittini, who works in a magnet manufacturing workshop.

From his father's side, he is of Italian and Spanish descent, a descendant of immigrants from the central northern Adriatic region of Marche in Italy and Catalonia, and from his mother's side, he mainly has Italian ancestry. Growing up in a close-knit and loving family, Messi developed a passion for sports from a young age, constantly playing with his brothers, Rodrigo and Matías. At the age of four, he joined the local soccer club, Grandoli, where he was coached by his father, although his initial influence as a player came from his maternal grandmother, Celia, who always faithfully accompanied him to training and matches.

He was greatly affected by the death of his grandmother, just before his eleventh birthday. He stopped playing football for weeks. Since then, as a devout Roman Catholic, Messi always celebrates every goal by looking up and pointing to the sky as a tribute to his grandmother. As a lifelong supporter of Newell's Old Boys, a professional football club in Rosario, Messi joined the Rosario city club when he was six years old.

During six years he played for Newell's, he scored nearly 500 goals as a member of "The Machine of '87", a young team that was almost unbeatable, named after their birth year, and regularly entertained the audience by performing ball tricks for half a year. "When you see him, you would think: this kid cannot play football. He is short, he is too fragile, too small. But soon you will realize that he was born differently, that he is a phenomenon," said Newell's Old Boys coach, Adrián Coria. However, his future as a professional player was threatened when, at the age of 10, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency.

Because his father's health insurance only covered growth hormone treatment for two years, which cost at least U$ 1,000 or Rp 15.5 million per month, Newell's agreed to contribute, but later reneged on their promise. Messi was nurtured by Buenos Aires club, River Plate, whose playmaker, Pablo Aimar, Messi idolized, but they refused to pay for his treatment. Because Messi's family had relatives in Catalonia, they tried to arrange a trial with Barcelona in September 2000.

The main director of Barcelona's team, Charly Rexach, immediately wanted to sign him, but the board of directors was hesitant; at that time, it was very unusual for European clubs to recruit foreign players at such a young age. On December 14th, an ultimatum was issued for Barcelona to prove their commitment, and Rexach, without any other paper, offered Messi a contract on a paper napkin. In February 2001, Messi's family moved to Barcelona. They moved to an apartment near the club's stadium, Camp Nou.

During his first year in Spain, Messi rarely played due to a transfer conflict with Newell's. As a foreigner, he could only be fielded in friendly matches and the Catalan league. Messi was very quiet, so his teammates initially believed he was mute. At home, he suffered from longing after his mother moved back to Rosario with his brother and sister, María Sol, while he stayed in Barcelona with his father. After a year at Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, Messi finally registered with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in February 2002.

Now he can play in all competitions, he befriends with his teammates, including Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué. After completing his growth hormone treatment at the age of 14, Messi continued to compete and injected hormone shots into his legs every day. Messi became an integral part of the "Baby Dream Team," Barcelona's best youth team. During his first full season (2002-2003), he was the top scorer with 36 goals in 30 matches for Cadet A, which won the unprecedented league treble and the Spanish and Catalan cups.

"At the age of 16 years, four months, and 23 days, Messi made his debut in the first team when he entered in the 75th minute of a friendly match against Porto, coached by José Mourinho, on November 16, 2003. His performance, creating two opportunities and one shot on goal, impressed the technical staff, and he later started training every day with the club's reserve team, Barcelona B, as well as every week with the first team. After his first training session with the senior team, Barça's new star, Ronaldinho, told his teammates that he believed the 16-year-old player would become a better player than himself."

Ronaldinho quickly befriended Messi, whom he called his "little brother," which greatly facilitated his transition to the Barcelona first team. Messi quickly found himself starting for Barcelona B. He averaged more than one goal per game, scoring 35 goals in 30 matches. In October 2004, Messi made his official debut for the first team against RCD Espanyol, becoming the third youngest player to ever play for FC Barcelona.

When he scored his first senior goal for the club against Albacete Balompié on May 1, 2005, Messi was 17 years, 10 months, and 7 days old, becoming the youngest player ever to score a goal in a La Liga match for FC Barcelona. Despite being only 1.7 meters tall and weighing 67 kg, Messi is strong, balanced, and versatile on the field. With his natural, fast, and precise left foot in controlling the ball, Messi is a sharp playmaker and can easily penetrate tight opposing defenses.

"In 2005, he was granted Spanish citizenship, an honor that was met with mixed feelings by the Catalan supporters from Barcelona. The following year, Messi and Barcelona won the Champions League title. Messi's game continued to improve rapidly over the years, and in 2008 he was one of the most dominant players in the world, ranking second after Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United in the voting for the FIFA World Player of the Year 2008."

At the beginning of 2009, Messi concluded the spectacular 2008-09 season by helping FC Barcelona achieve the club's first "treble" (winning three major European club titles in one season): the team won the La Liga championship, Copa del Rey (Spain's main domestic cup), and the Champions League title. He scored 38 goals in 51 matches during that season, and he surpassed Ronaldo in the voting for the FIFA World Player of the Year award by a significant margin.

During the 2009-10 season, Messi scored 34 goals in domestic matches as Barcelona repeated as champions of La Liga. He received the Golden Shoe award as the top goal scorer in Europe, and he was crowned the Best Player in the World in 2010, an award that later changed its name to FIFA Ballon d'Or that year. Messi led Barcelona to win the La Liga and Champions League titles in the following season, which helped him achieve an unprecedented third consecutive Best Player in the World award.

In March 2012, he scored his 233rd goal for Barcelona, becoming the all-time top scorer for the club in La Liga games at the age of just 24. He finished the 2011-12 season with Barcelona (including other Copa del Rey victories) with 73 goals in all competitions, breaking Gerd Müller's record of 39 years for most goals in a single season in a major European football league. That important season led to him being named the Best Player in the World in 2012, making Messi the first player to win the award four times. With 46 goals in La Liga in 2012-13, he led the league, and Barcelona won another domestic top division championship that season.

In 2014, he broke Barcelona's overall goal record when he scored his 370th goal as a team member. In the same year, he also broke the career goal record for playing in the Champions League (with 72 goals) and La Liga (with 253 goals). Messi helped Barcelona achieve another treble during the 2014-15 season, leading the team with 43 goals, which earned him the Ballon d'Or for the fifth time this year. He scored 41 goals in all competitions for Barcelona in 2015-16, and the club won the La Liga and Copa del Rey titles during that season. Messi surpassed that with 53 goals for Barcelona in 2016-17, leading the team to another Copa del Rey title.

In 2017-18, he scored 45 goals, and Barcelona once again won the double title of La Liga-Copa del Rey. Messi scored 51 goals in all domestic competitions in 2018-19 when Barcelona won another La Liga championship. In December 2019, he won his sixth Ballon d'Or in his career. In the 2020-21 season, Barcelona won the Copa del Rey title, Messi's seventh in his career. However, Messi became a free agent in 2021, and financial issues — some of which were a result of La Liga regulations — mostly prevented him from signing a new contract with Barcelona.

"He left the club after setting a number of records; notably, he is the all-time leading goal scorer in league history (474). Later in 2021, he signed a contract with Paris St.-Germain. In a new documentary film titled 'Messi' on the BBC, the documentary begins with Messi crying as he is about to leave Barcelona in the summer of 2021 when the Spanish club was unable to renew his contract due to well-publicized financial issues. 'Today, I have said goodbye after years in my life,' Messi said in a press conference attended by his teammates and family."

"I give everything to this club and this jersey. Enough, thank you all!" he said with tears streaming down his face as he bid farewell to the beloved Barcelona."

After that Messi moved to Paris Saint Germany or PSG. Two years there earlier this year he moved to Inter Miami, an American football club partially owned by David Beckham. And David Beckham finally announced the eighth Ballon d'Or award for Messi. This may be his last Ballon d'Or award. But it also shows that Messi is the Greatest of All Time alias GOAT, one of the greatest players in the history of football! (eha)Source: AS, Marca, Sky Sports, FC Barcelona, Britannica, New York Times, Goal, BBC.