ENTERTAINMENT
Messi Scoops Record Seventh Ballon d’Or
Argentina’s Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world for a record-stretching seventh time on Monday, beating Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho to lift soccer’s most prestigious trophy.
The forward added to his 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019 trophies after winning the Copa America for the first time with his country in July.
“It’s incredible to be here again. Two years ago I thought it was the last time. Winning the Copa America was key,” Messi said at Paris’s Theatre du Chatelet.
“It is a special year for me with this Copa America title. It meant a lot to win at the Maracana stadium and I was so happy to celebrate with the people from Argentina.
“I don’t know if it’s the best year of my life, I’ve had a long career, but it was a special one with the title with Argentina after the tough times and the criticism.”
Messi, who joined Paris St Germain on a free transfer from Barcelona during the close season after finishing as La Liga’s top scorer with the Spanish club, collected 613 points, with Bayern Munich’s Lewandowski, named best striker on Monday, getting 580.
Jorginho, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and the European championship with Italy, ended up third on 460, ahead of France’s Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante in fourth and fifth places respectively.
Chelsea, named club of the year, also had keeper Edouard Mendy finishing second in the Yashin trophy behind Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The women’s Ballon d’Or went to Alexia Putellas after the Spain midfielder guided Barcelona to Champions League glory.
“The key moment was the Champions League final against Olympique Lyonnais,” she said.
Putellas is the third winner of the Ballon d’Or Feminin after Ada Hegerberg in 2018 and Megan Rapinoe in 2019.
There was no ceremony last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On a good night for Barcelona, 19-year-old Pedri was awarded the Kopa trophy for the best Under-21 player.
“The best way to celebrate turning 19 is receiving this award. I’d like to thank everyone at Barcelona for helping me here,” he said.
Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation for Fresh Ambassadorial Appointment
Senate Approves State Police Bill, Handcuff Governors Power
What to Know About the U.S. Mission’s 2026 Opportunity Fund for Nigerian Students
NPFL Champions to Earn ₦1bn as NSC, NFF Approve Record Prize Money, ₦2m Minimum Wage for Players
NDLEA Raid Industrial-Scale Meth Lab in Oyo Forest, Arrests Mexican Drug Expert, Four Others
Commonwealth Game: Oborevwori Congratulates Team Delta as Favour Ashe Emerges Nigeria’s Fastest Man
IGP Orders Massive Security Reinforcement in Plateau After Bokkos Massacre
DSS Orders Probe Into Alleged Manhandling of Sowore at Court, Defends Due Process in Cybercrime Trial
DEGREES ARE NOT ENOUGH: WHY EVERY STUDENT SHOULD LEARN A DIGITAL SKILL, BY NURHIE GREAT
“I Don’t See the Level of Hunger Nigerians Are Complaining About” — Onanuga Defends Tinubu’s Reforms
Elon Musk Loses $350bn After SpaceX AI Bond Plan Sparks Market Panic
THE SIEGE ON OGBEOZOMA: How a Delta Community’s Land Wealth Became a Curse of Bullets and Bulldozers
Ijaw Opinion Leader Eselemo Counters Denial of Ijaw Existence in Warri South
Oborevwori’s CPS Recounts Delta’s Successes, Dismisses Negative Article as Conjecture
