One of the greatest footballers of contemporary times, Lionel Messi is a star. He is a star not only because of his unparalleled stardom and fan-following; but because of his hunger and determination to rule the roost. Lionel Messi recently bagged the only trophy that was missing from his trophy cabinet: the FIFA World Cup trophy.
Argentina defeated France on penalties in one crackerjack of a final at the Tusail Stadium in Qatar. Argentina forward was pivotal to Argentina lifting the FIFA World Cup 2022 as he was in hot and blistering form in the entire tournament. There are very few players who match up to the expertise of Lionel Messi. Messi is the epitome of skill, dedication, and grit.
Lionel Messi has already won the highest honor for a footballer, the Ballon d’Or for a record 7 times. In this article, we take a look at 3 reasons why Lionel Messi might win his 8th Ballon D’or award in 2023:
1. Lionel Messi won the FIFA World Cup in 2022
Messi’s Argentina defeated France 4-2 in the penalties to win the 3rd FIFA World Cup title. Messi won the Golden Ball award, which is given to the best player in the tournament.
The 35-year-old talismanic striker netted 7 goals and had 3 assists in the tournament and finished the tournament in Qatar as the 2nd highest goal-scorer, just behind France’s Kylian Mbappe. His lifting of the coveted trophy in Qatar would press his case for the 8th Ballon d’Or title.
2. He has been in prolific form in the Ligue 1
Lionel Messi is scoring goals for fun for PSG in the Ligue 1. Playing in tandem with Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi is weaving magic for PSG and is one of the main reasons why PSG is at the top of the standings of the Ligue 1 table. In 13 matches in the Ligue 1 2022-23 season, he has netted 7 goals and has 10 assists under his belt.
3. Lionel Messi has been terrific in the UEFA Champions League as well
Lionel Messi has also been among the goals in the UEFA Champions League. So far, the legend has scored 4 goals in 5 matches and has 4 assists up his name.
In football, assists hold a very special place and Messi has aced that game. Messi is one of the most selfless players and has always given other people scoring opportunities.
Also read: FIFA World Cup 2022: Formal Complaint Lodged Against Argentine Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez
