Ballon d’Or Awards LIVE: Latest updates as Lionel Messi crowned and Aitana Bonmati wins Feminin award
The 2023 Ballon d’Or winner will be revealed in Paris tonight with Aitana Bonmati favourite for the Feminin award
Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free
Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter
Lionel Messi is celebrating after being named Ballon d’Or winner for the eighth time, extending his own record for being named the planet’s best player.
Now with Inter Miami in MLS, the 36-year-old had been seen as overwhelming favourite to claim another golden prize following Argentina’s World Cup win in Qatar at the end of last year.
Aitana Bonmati succeeded Alexia Putellas as winner of the women’s award, the Ballon d’Or Feminin. The midfielder starred for Spain during the Women’s World Cup win, as well as playing a key part in Barcelona’s incredible 2022/23 season which included a Champions League final comeback win. Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham and others also picked up awards on the night.
Follow along for the latest reaction from the Ballon d’Or awards in Paris with our liveblog below:
Ballon d’Or awards LIVE
That’s it for tonight save for one final run-down of the prize winners: Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Emi Martinez, Erling Haaland, Barcelona Femenin, Manchester City...and, of course, Aitana Bonmati and Lionel Messi.
Congratulations to each!
Full report:
Messi wins record eighth Ballon d’Or as Bonmati and Bellingham also pick up awards
The England star picked up the Kopa Trophy, while Spain’s brilliant midfielder Bonmati claimed the Ballon d’Or Feminin
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies