• Argentina captain Lionel Messi won a record eighth men’s Ballon d’Or on October 30.

• Aitana Bonmati won the women’s award for guiding Spain to victory at the Women’s World Cup in August. She also helped Barcelona win the Women’s Champions League and Spanish league.

• Awarded by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or has been given out to men every year since 1956 when Stanley Matthews won. It is voted on by a panel of international journalists and is the most prestigious individual honour in the sport.

• The women’s trophy was created in 2018, and both were cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Messi wins record eighth Ballon d’Or

• Inter Miami’s Messi, who last won the award in 2021, played a pivotal role in guiding Argentina to their first World Cup title in 36 years when they beat defending champions France in the final last year.

• In the Qatar World Cup, Messi was involved in 10 goals for Argentina, scoring seven and assisting three. He scored twice in the final against France.

• A year after missing out on the shortlist for the 2022 Ballon d’Or, and despite leaving top-level European soccer behind, Messi has recovered his crown.

• It was a return to the French capital after his departure from Paris Saint-Germain in June and his subsequent move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

• The 36-year-old Messi won ahead of Manchester City forward Erling Haaland and his former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe.

• Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009. 

• Nobody else has won more than five Ballon d’Or. Cristiano Ronaldo has five, and Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten each won it three times.

Ballon d’Or Feminin

• Bonmati had already been awarded UEFA best women’s player and the Golden Ball for the top Women’s World Cup player. The 25-year-old midfielder scored three times and assisted twice at the tournament.

• Bonmati won ahead of Sam Kerr and Salma Paralluelo.

Other awards:

• Men’s Club of the Year: Manchester City

• Women’s Club of the Year: Barcelona Femeni

• Gerd Muller Trophy for the best striker of the year: Erling Haaland (Manchester City and Norway)

• Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa and Argentina)

• Kopa Trophy for best player under-21: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid and England)

• Socrates Award for humanitarian work off the pitch: Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid and Brazil).

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