PARIS — The list reads 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and now 2023.
Lionel Messi won the men’s Ballon d’Or for a record-extending eighth time on Monday without fulfilling his life’s yearing by leading Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar last year.

Adding to his silverware the one major trophy that eluded him in his storied career was the decisive factor in an otherwise quite mundane season — for his standards — at Paris Saint-Germain.

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

Messi thanked his Argentina coach, teammates and staff for making his victory possible.

“Tonight I’m enjoying myself. It’s a pleasure that will never leave me, and I hope to be worldly-wise to enjoy it for many years to come,” Messi said through a translator. “Becoming world champion was the title we were missing. I’d like to thank everyone who helped make Argentina the world champion team.”

Messi moreover paid tribute to the late Diego Maradona, who moreover helped Argentina win the World Cup, when in 1986.

“This title and this trophy,” Messi said, “I share them with you and all our Argentina comrades.”

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

A year without missing out on the shortlist for the 2022 Ballon d’Or, and despite leaving top-level European soccer behind, Messi has recovered his crown.

He won the sport’s biggest individual prize due to his tremendous World Cup. In Qatar, Messi was involved in 10 goals for Argentina, scoring seven and profitable three. He scored twice in the final versus France.

His final season with PSG was less shiny. Although PSG won a record-extending 11th French league, it then exited the Champions League in the round of 16.

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

Since moving to Inter Miami in the United States, Messi has once picked up his first silverware there by inspiring the team to victory in the U.S. Leagues Cup.

Messi’s latest win marked the first time a Major League Soccer-based player got such recognition. Messi received the trophy from former Manchester United star David Beckham, who is one of the owners of his new club.

“I’m very happy with the decisions I’ve made and to be with Miami,” Messi said.

He succeeded Karim Benzema.

Mbappe hoped flipside Frenchman could win the Ballon d’Or without he scored a hat trick in the World Cup final, though France lost in a penalty shootout.

Haaland led Manchester City to a treble of trophies last season — Champions League, English Premier League, FA Cup — while scoring 52 goals.

Bonmati had once been awarded UEFA weightier women’s player and the Golden Ball for the top Women’s World Cup player. She scored three times and assisted twice at the tournament.

She followed in the footsteps of her teammate Alexia Putellas, who took the past two awards.

Bonmati won superiority of Sam Kerr and Salma Paralluelo.

“We are a country that lives football, intensely,” Bonmati said. “We have a unique talent in Spain.”

For the first time last year, the trophy awarded by France Football magazine was based on achievements from the past season. It was previously awarded based on performances through a timetable year. Stanley Matthews won the first Ballon d’Or in 1956.

The women’s trophy was created in 2018, and both were canceled in 2020 considering of the pandemic.

In other awards, the weightier under-21 player was Jude Bellingham, while Haaland won the Gerd Müller ribbon for the weightier striker of the year.

The Lev Yashin ribbon for weightier goalkeeper went to Emiliano Martinez. In wing to his trophy, the Argentina goalkeeper placid boos and whistles from the regulars at the Theatre du Chatelet that included Mbappe and France mentor Didier Deschamps.

Martinez was criticized for the excessive tone of his World Cup celebrations. He carried a doll with Mbappe’s squatter on it while standing slantingly teammate Messi as Argentina paraded the trophy when home. Martinez, who moreover made a transplanted gesture without winning the Golden Glove ribbon for weightier goalkeeper, was filmed mocking Mbappe in the team dressing room without the game.

The humanitarian prize named without the late Brazil midfielder Socrates went to Vinicius Junior, for his involvement in the foundation he set up for underprivileged children. The Real Madrid player, who has been the target of racist abuse in the Spanish league, pledged to alimony up the fight versus racism.