PARIS: Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time in his career at a star-studded ceremony in Paris on Monday.
Messi, 36, succeeds Karim Benzema as winner of the prize, awarded for his performances last season, when he inspired Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Qatar.
It was his displays in the Gulf, when Messi dragged his country to a victory that crowned his remarkable career, that allowed Messi to see off stiff competition from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in particular.
Haaland came second in the final voting, with Mbappe third and Kevin De Bruyne in fourth place.
Former Barcelona superstar Messi scored seven times at the World Cup and was named the tournament’s best player after Argentina beat France on penalties in the final in Doha.
Yet Messi, who won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009, also had an underwhelming final season at Paris Saint-Germain, before leaving to play for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His old PSG teammate Mbappe made his case with his remarkable performances at the World Cup, which he finished as the top scorer on eight goals after netting a hat-trick in the final for France.
Norway striker Haaland scored an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s side won the treble of English Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
He and De Bruyne were among members of that City team who were nominated.
Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or for eighth time
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Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or for eighth time
- Messi dragged Argentina to a FIFA World Cup victory that crowned his remarkable career
Brendan Rodgers joins Saudi club Al Qadsiah
- Former Celtic and Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has joined Saudi Pro League club Al Qadsiah as head coach, seven weeks after resigning his job at the struggling Scottish outfit
RIYADH: Former Celtic and Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has joined Saudi Pro League club Al Qadsiah as head coach, seven weeks after resigning his job at the struggling Scottish outfit.
Rodgers, 52, left Celtic in acrimonious circumstances in late October after criticizing the Hoops board and hitting out at their transfer market signings, leading the club’s principal shareholder Dermot Desmond to describe him as “divisive, misleading and self-serving.”
Al Qadsiah, owned by Aramco, are currently fifth in the Saudi league and sacked head coach Michel Gonzalez on Sunday.
Northern Irishman Rodgers was recruited by the former CEO of Celtic’s arch-rivals Rangers, James Bisgrove, who now holds the same role at Al Qadsiah.
Bisgrove described Rodgers’ arrival as a “landmark moment for the club.”
Rodgers will be in place for the January transfer window when the club is expected to seek to strengthen their squad.
Italy international Mateo Retegui and former Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez are currently the biggest names in their ranks.
Rodgers led Liverpool to a runner-up finish in the Premier League in the 2013-2014 season and won the FA Cup with Leicester in 2021.
In two spells at Celtic he won the league four times, the Scottish Cup on three occasions and the League Cup four times.
Former manager Martin O’Neill steadied the ship at Celtic on an interim basis following the departure of Rodgers, but new French coach Wilfried Nancy has lost his first three matches.
