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Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best male footballer for a record sixth time after an outstanding 2018/19 season.
Even by Messi’s sensational standards, his campaign was a landmark one. The 32-year-old Argentine scored 36 goals in 34 La Liga matches as Barcelona defended their title, while he managed a further 12 goals in just 10 Champions League appearances.
In total, Messi scored 56 goals in 60 appearances for club and country last season.
Messi beat his old foe Cristiano Ronaldo to the award – who won the Serie A title in his debut season with Juventus – as well as Liverpool ’s Virgil van Dijk , who earlier this season won the Uefa Men’s Player of the Year. Luka Modric picked up last year’s award although missed out on a place on the 30-man shortlist this time around.
Here, we take a look at exactly how Messi managed to secure his sixth Ballon d’Or – and first since 2015.
How Messi won the Ballon d'OrShow all 59 1 /59How Messi won the Ballon d'Or How Messi won the Ballon d'Or How Lionel Messi won the 2019 Ballon d'Or
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Sevilla 1-2 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 3-0 Alaves Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Valladolid 0-1 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 8-2 Huesca Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Sociedad 1-2 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 4-0 PSV Hat-trick
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 2-2 Girona One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Leganes 2-1 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 1-1 Ath Bilbao Yellow card
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Tottenham 2-4 Barcelona Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Valencia 1-1 Barcelona One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 4-2 Sevilla One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 3-4 Real Betis Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Atletico Madrid 1-1 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or PSV 1-2 Barcelona One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 2-0 Villarreal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Espanyol 0-4 Barcelona Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 1-1 Tottenham
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Levante 0-5 Barcelona Hat-trick
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 2-0 Celta Vigo One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Getafe 1-2 Barelona One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 3-0 Eibar One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 3-0 Levante One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 3-1 Leganes One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Girona 0-2 Barcelona One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 6-1 Sevilla One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 2-2 Valencia Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Athletic Bilbao 0-0 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 1-0 Valladolid One goal, yellow card
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Lyon 0-0 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Sevilla 2-4 Barcelona Hat-trick
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 3-1 Vallecano One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 5-1 Lyon Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Real Betis 1-4 Barcelona Three goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Argentina 1-3 Venezuela
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 2-0 Espanyol Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Villarreal 4-4 Barcelona One goal, yellow card
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 2-0 Atletico Madrid One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Manchester United 0-1 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 3-0 Manchester United Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 2-1 Sociedad
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Alaves 0-2 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 1-0 Levante One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 2-0 Getafe
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Eibar 2-2 Barcelona Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Barcelona 1-2 Valencia One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Argentina 5-1 Nicaragua Two goals
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Argentina 0-2 Colombia
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Argentina 1-1 Paraguay One goal
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Qatar 0-2 Argentina
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Venezuela 0-2 Argentina
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Brazil 2-0 Argentina
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How Messi won the Ballon d'Or Argentina 2-1 Chile Red card
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What do you make of Messi's latest Ballon d'Or success? Let us know in the comment section below.
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