Ballon d’Or 2021 LIVE as Lionel Messi beats Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho for award
2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony took place on Monday with Lionel Messi beating Robert Lewandowski to the men’s award as Alexia Putellas collecting the women’s prize
Lionel Messi has won the men’s 2021 Ballon d’Or, and a record seventh trophy, at an awards ceremony in Paris on Monday evening.
Messi, 34, held off the challenge of Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema and Chelsea’s Jorginho to collect the prize and move two clear in his long-running battle with five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who was among the 30 players shortlisted but did not feature in the top three for the first time in 11 years.
Messi was the favourite to collect the award after winning the Copa America with Argentina earlier this year – his first major international trophy – despite one of his less impressive periods at club level: Barcelona finished third in La Liga and fell in the first knockout round of the Champions League. However, Messi scored two goals as Barca won the Copa del Rey final and he was La Liga’s top goalscorer once more, before switching to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
Lewandowski did pick up the consolation prize of the newly formed Striker of the Year award, while the Women’s Ballon d’Or went to Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas.
Further awards went to Gianluigi Donnarumma for the Yashin Trophy of best goalkeeper, to Barcelona midfielder Pedri as the starlet was handed the Kopa Trophy and another new award went to Chelsea for Club of the Year for their on-pitch achievements with both men’s and women’s teams. You can follow all the latest updates and reaction below. Keep up with all the latest breaking news by signing up to our free email alerts by clicking here.
Ballon d’Or 2021: Messi and Putellas win in Paris
All the Chelsea individuals in attendance, well, remotely anyway - as they claimed the Club of the Year award.
Hayes and Tuchel as bosses, of course, but both Mendy and Jorginho went close to winning the individual honours tonight - as did Sam Kerr.
Ballon d’Or 2021: Messi and Putellas win in Paris
It’s fair to say the immediate social reaction is exactly what you’d expect: a perfect divide of “Lewandowski was robbed”, “Messi is the greatest” and everything in between. Including a few shouts for players who weren’t even in the running. And “proof” that certain individuals should have won because of, well, to put it bluntly, things they didn’t actually do during 2021.
But such is life on Twitter and beyond.
Ballon d’Or 2021: Messi and Putellas triumph in Paris
The champions with their prizes! And their names and faces all over Paris, which is the real prize of course.
After two years since the last Ballon d’Or was awarded - no ceremony meant no anything at all last year for France Football - this was a pleasing and spectacular return to form.
Messi has the Ballon d’Or and Messi hits the big red button - and lights up the Eiffel Towe with in celebration. With a big massive poster of himself and Alexia Putellas alongside.
What a double that would have been for Barcelona, if only they hadn’t been run in just about the worst way fathomable for several years in a row.
As it is, it’s a win for PSG and a win for Barcelona Femeni!
That brings the awards ceremony to a close, but we’ll have plenty of reaction on the way.
Messages from his family, from team-mates past and present, lots of video montages and a lot of Argentinians celebrating both his career and the Copa America victory.
Lionel Messi and those who play alongside him are used to this sort of thing by now aren’t they? Doesn’t mean he hasn’t deserved every bit of it - what a player.
Has he been the finest in 2021 though? That’s something which will be endlessly debated between now and...well, next year’s event more than likely.
Messi is presented the Ballon d’Or, his seventh, by Luis Suarez.
Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or 2021 to claim record seventh trophy
Lionel Messi has won the men’s 2021 Ballon d’Or, and a record seventh trophy, at an awards ceremony in Paris on Monday evening.
Messi, 34, held off the challenge of Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema and Chelsea’s Jorginho to collect the prize and move two clear in his long-running battle with five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who was among the 30 players shortlisted but did not feature in the top three for the first time in 11 years.
Messi was the favourite to collect the award after winning the Copa America with Argentina earlier this year – his first major international trophy – despite one of his less impressive periods at club level: Barcelona finished third in La Liga and fell in the first knockout round of the Champions League. However, Messi scored two goals as Barca won the Copa del Rey final and he was La Liga’s top goalscorer once more, before switching to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or 2021 to claim record seventh trophy
Messi held off the challenge of Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho to win the men’s Ballon d’Or at a Paris ceremony
Ballon d’Or 2021: LIONEL MESSI WINS SEVENTH AWARD
MESSI WINS THE 2021 BALLON D’OR!
As if you ever doubted it! That’s a seventh time of being ranked the world’s best player for Messi, whose big achievement in 2021 was to win the Copa America for a long-awaited title with his national team Argentina.
Messi finishes first, Lewandowski in second.
Ballon d’Or 2021: Chelsea win Club of the Year
Chelsea have just been announced as Club of the Year - comprising the achievements of both their men’s and women’s team.
Emma Hayes is there as manager of the Women’s team and makes the point she hopes the team can be there in future - it’s the international break for women’s football so they are unable to be present.
Thomas Tuchel is also in attendance and praises the achievements of his side, the women’s team - WSL winners - and the academy sides, too.
Ballon d’Or 2021: Fifth to third announced including Kante
We are approaching the main men’s prize and we’re down to two: Lewandowski and Messi. That’s because we’ve just had fifth to third rattled off:
5th - N’Golo Kante, Chelsea and France
4th - Karim Benzema, Real Madrid and France
3rd - Jorginho, Chelsea and Italy
Ballon d’Or 2021: Drogba’s message to Kjaer after Eriksen incident
A special thanks from Didier Drogba to Simon Kjaer, on account of the role he played in helping to save the life of Christian Eriksen during the summer after his collapse at Euro 2020.
The Danish national team went on a stunning run thereafter, buoyed in part by the recovery of their midfielder.
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