Lionel Messi won the 2023 Ballon d'Or award despite making a summer move out of Europe to join Inter Miami on a free transfer.
Messi opted to accept a switch to Florida, following the expiration of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, with the veteran forward enjoying an impressive start to life in the USA.
However, despite no longer competing in the Champions League, a change in Ballon d'Or voting criteria from 2022 means he was able to win the 2023 award, ahead of Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland.
Ballon d'Or voting now focuses on the previous season, not the calendar year, and Messi's inspirational leading of Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title proved to be a defining factor.
The other side of that was the MLS calendar playing a part in Messi missing the 30-man shortlist for the 2024 Ballon d'Or, very possibly heralding the end of an incredible era.
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How many times has Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or?
Messi is the most successful player in Ballon d'Or history with eight titles won from 2009 to 2023 ahead of old rival Cristiano Ronaldo on five.
Six of Messi's Ballon d'Or title wins came as a Barcelona player with his 2021 award coming months after joining PSG. Although he did not win in 2023 based on performances for Inter Miami, he is the first footballer to win the award while playing in MLS.
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
| 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023 | 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 | 2007 |
Lionel Messi's Ballon d'Or wins
After finishing third in 2007 and second in 2008, Messi won his first Ballon d'Or in 2009, before going on to win the award for the following three successive years.
Messi won just one Ballon d'Or from 2013 to 2016, as Ronaldo won three, with their rivalry taking on a new level as Barcelona and Real Madrid continued to go head-to-head for trophies.
However, as the duo began to move into the latter years of their careers, with Ronaldo's last win coming in 2017, Messi clinched the award again in 2019 and 2021.
In 2023, he finished ahead of Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to win the prize for, perhaps, the final time.
| Year | Club | Trophies won | Age |
| 2009 | Barcelona | 2008/09 La Liga, 2008/09 Copa de Rey, 2009 Supercopa de Espana, 2008/09 Champions League, 2009 UEFA Super Cup, 2009 FIFA Club World Cup | 22 |
| 2010 | Barcelona | 2009/10 La Liga, 2010 Supercopa de Espana, | 23 |
| 2011 | Barcelona | 2010/11 La Liga, 2011 Supercopa de Espana, 2010/11 Champions League, 2011 UEFA Super Cup, 2011 FIFA Club World Cup | 24 |
| 2012 | Barcelona | 2011/ 12 Copa del Rey | 25 |
| 2015 | Barcelona | 2014/15 La Liga, 2014/15 Copa del Rey, 2014/15 Champions League, 2015 UEFA Super Cup, 2015 FIFA Club World Cup | 28 |
| 2019 | Barcelona | 2018/19 La Liga | 32 |
| 2021 | Barcelona/PSG | 2020/21 Copa del Rey | 34 |
| 2023 | PSG/Argentina | 2022 Trophee des Champions, 2022/23 Ligue 1, 2022 FIFA World Cup | 36 |
MORE: Ballon d'Or vs FIFA's The Best awards: Explaining the differences, history, and which one is bigger
Who has won the most Ballon d'Or awards?
| Rank | Player | Ballon d'Or wins | Years won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Lionel Messi | 8 | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023 |
| 2. | Cristiano Ronaldo | 5 | 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 |
| 3. | Michel Platini | 3 | 1983, 1984, 1985 |
| Johan Cruyff | 3 | 1971, 1973, 1974 | |
| Marco van Basten | 3 | 1988, 1989, 1992 | |
| 6. | Franz Beckenbauer | 2 | 1972, 1976 |
| Ronaldo | 2 | 1997, 2002 | |
| Alfredo Di Stefano | 2 | 1957, 1959 | |
| Kevin Keegan | 2 | 1978, 1979 | |
| Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | 2 | 1980, 1981 |
