The winner of the 2023 Ballon d'Or award, for which Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland were considered favourites, has officially been announced by France Football.
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At a ceremony in Paris on Monday night, it was announced that Argentina's No. 10 has won the latest edition of football's most coveted individual accolade.
The Inter Miami forward beat Manchester City's Haaland to the prize following his exploits for his country at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Messi has now claimed the Ballon d'Or on eight occasions, winning his first in 2009, before claiming it three more times consecutively between 2010 and 2012.
His fifth, meanwhile, came in 2015 and his sixth in 2019, before he lifted it for a seventh time in 2021 after winning the 2021 Copa America with the Albiceleste.
Messi's latest victory means he has extended his record over long-time Cristiano Ronaldo, who has celebrated five Ballon d'Or triumphs, and makes him the first-ever player not based in Europe to scoop the prize.
Haaland finished second to the Inter Miami captain in the final standing, but many believe his astonishing debut season at the City should have been enough for him to lift the golden ball at the Theatre du Chatelet.
The 23-year-old scored a remarkable 52 goals in just 53 appearances as he helped inspire the English giants to a memorable treble, while his struck four more times for his country.
Other award winners:
Kopa Trophy - Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid/England)
Socrates Award - Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/Brazil)
Women's Club of the Season - FC Barcelona (Spain)
Yashin Trophy - Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa/Argentina)
Gerd Muller Trophy - Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway)
Men's Club of the Season - Manchester City (England)
Women's Ballon d'Or - Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona/Spain)
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