Ballon d’Or: (Golden Boy) Messi Wins his Sixth Ballon d’Or 2019

Lionel Messi won a record sixth Ballon d’Or title on Monday as United States midfielder Megan Rapinoe won the women’s equivalent, beating Australia’s Sam Kerr to the coveted global award

The 34-year-old US captain was the driving force behind the team retaining the women’s World Cup in France and claiming a record-extending fourth world title in July.

Barcelona star and Argentina captain Lionel Messi has now won one more Ballon d’Or title more than Juventus rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 32-year-old, who lifted the coveted trophy in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015, beat Liverpool’s Champions League winner Virgil van Dijk in a vote of international journalists.

Messi won Spain’s Liga title with Barca this year and led Argentina to third place at the Copa America in July. He was involved in 63 goals in total in the past 12 months for both club and country, including 46 goals and 17 assists.

“I would like to thank all of the journalists who voted for me and wanted me to have this prize,” said Messi after picking up the award in Paris on Monday night alongside his two sons and wife.

“Thank you so much to my colleagues who have actually contributed a lot to this prize. It is amazing, thank you so much.”

Rapinoe scored six goals in the tournament, earning her the Golden Boot as the top scorer and the Golden Ball as the top player.

The award is based on a vote by international journalists.

Kerr, who recently signed for Chelsea in England’s Super League, scored a bagful of goals in the NWSL this season.

She was rewarded for her prolific goalscoring form by being named captain of the Matildas and went on to become the first Australian player – male or female – to score a hattrick at a World Cup.

Kerr’s five goals at this year’s World Cup left her behind only England’s Ellen White and Americans Rapinoe and Alex Morgan Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt, a key player in Ajax Amsterdam’s thrilling run to the Champions League semi-finals and now at Juventus, won the Kopa trophy for the best Under-21 male player in the world following a vote of international journalists.

Alisson Becker, one of four Liverpool players in the top seven for the men’s Ballon d’Or, was awarded the new Yashin trophy for the best male goalkeeper of the year.

Ballon d’Or top 30:

28= Marquinhos

28= Joao Felix

28= Donny van de Beek

24= Marc-Andre ter Stegen

24= Kalidou Koulibaly

23 – Hugo Lloris

22 – Son

20= Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

20= Dusan Tadic

19 – Trent Alexander-Arnold

18 – Antoine Griezmann

17 – Roberto Firmino

16 – Sergio Aguero

15 – Matthijs de Ligt

14 – Kevin de Bruyne

13 – Eden Hazard

12 – Raheem Sterling

11 – Frenkie de Jong

10 – Riyad Mahrez

9 – Bernardo Silva

8 – Robert Lewandowski

7 – Alisson

6 – Kylian Mbappe

5 – Mohamed Salah

4 – Sadio Mane

3 – Cristiano Ronaldo

2 – Virgil van Dijk

1 – Lionel Messi

source: foxsports.com.au

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