Lionel Messi, the superstar, might be eligible for a distinctive award known as the “Super Golden Ball.” Nevertheless, this accolade will only be presented in 2029.
According to leaked information, it has been hinted that Messi has been informed of winning the 2023 Ballon d’Or at the award ceremony in Paris on Tuesday morning (October 31) according to Vietnam time. This will extend his record with 8 awards to his name.
According to reports, the Argentine superstar is expected to outcompete Manchester City’s triple-crown winning striker Erling Haaland for this prestigious individual award. Messi’s victory is largely attributed to his inspirational leadership in helping the Argentina national team win the 2022 World Cup championship.
However, there is one personal accolade that Messi has yet to achieve – the Super Ballon d’Or. This special award is given to the best male player of the past three decades. And only one person has been awarded this title in 1989.
At the time, the victorious individual was Alfredo Di Stefano, who scored 308 goals, won 17 titles, and earned 2 Ballon d’Or awards during his illustrious career at Real Madrid. Di Stefano was chosen in a vote that included football fans, France Football judges, and previous Ballon d’Or winners.
Johan Cruyff, the Dutch football legend who won the Ballon d’Or three times in 1971, 1973, and 1974, takes the second spot. Meanwhile, Michel Platini ranks third for winning the Ballon d’Or consecutively for three years from 1983 to 1985.
Of course, during that time only European players were eligible for the Ballon d’Or award, which means players like Pele and Diego Maradona were not considered.
Theo AS, it is speculated that the prestigious Golden Ball award might be awarded in 2029. If this happens, Messi could be a top contender for the title. The Argentinian player has already won seven Golden Ball awards over three decades (soon to be eight), earned four Champion League championships, and ten La Liga titles. In addition, he also won once in the World Cup and once in Copa America with the Argentina team.