Messi hits a six
Lionel Messi won a record-breaking sixth Ballon d’Or on Monday after another sublime year for the Argentinian, whose familiar brilliance remained undimmed even through difficult times for club and country.
By : migrator
Update: 2019-12-03 20:55 GMT
Madrid
Despite Barcelona’s collapse at the end of last season and Argentina losing to Brazil in the semi-finals of the Copa America, Messi’s genius was ever-present in 2019, for which he now stands alone in the history of the game’s most prestigiousindividual prize.
Four years after his last Ballon d’Or, Messi pulled clear of the five next to the name of Cristiano Ronaldo, and now owns twice as many as Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marcovan Basten.
In 54 appearances this year, Messi has managed an astonishing 46 goals and 17 assists while for Barca alone he hit 41 goals and 15 assists in 44 matches, which included seven doubles and three hat-tricks.“It’s like he is extra-terrestrial,” said Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde in March.
“Every time he gets the ball something extraordinary seems to happen.”Messi’s first season as club captain brought a third consecutive La Liga title and he scored the winner in the game that clinched it, a 1-0 victory over Levante.He also claimed his sixth Pichichi Trophy as the division’s top scorer, with 36 goals in34 matches.
But Barcelona unravelled as its 3-0 advantage over Liverpool -- to which Messi contributed a brace -- went up in smoke at Anfield and the club crashed out in the semi-finals of theChampions League.
It was then beaten by Valencia in the final of the Copa del Rey, when Messi’s tap-in proved a consolation, but it was his voice that spoke loudest in defence of coach Valverde, whose survival owed much to the support of his captain.
Messi had led the way on the pitch too, particularly during the run-in when he scored 16 goals in 12 games as Barcelona put together a relentless winning streak.“This league has one person’s name on it,” wrote Diario Sport.
He scored his 50th career hat-trick in a 4-2 win at Sevilla and in April, another hat-trick began with a free-kick into the top corner and ended with a sweeping chip from the edge of the area that was so good even the Real Betis fans felt compelled to applaud.When asked about their reaction, Messi said: “To be honest I don’t remember anythinglike that.”
Magical to watch Messi on the field: Kuldeep
Left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav on Tuesday congratulated Lionel Messi after the star Argentine footballer won the 2019 Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best player for a record sixth time.
“It’s absolutely magical to watch you on the field. Congratulations on your sixth #BallonDor #LionelMessi,” tweeted Kuldeep who himself is a big football buff.
This was Messi’s first Ballon d’Or since 2015 and comes after he scored 54 times for club and country in 2018-19, in which FC Barcelona won La Liga, reports BBC Sport.
Before 2015, the Barcelona forward had won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011 and in 2012.
In a glittering ceremony that took place at the Theatre du Chatelet on Monday night, the 32-year-old Argentine confirmed all the predictions that he was the outstanding favourite for this year’s trophy, edging out Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk who helped Liverpool to win the Champions League last season.
Juventus and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the award five times, was third in the voting.
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