SOCCER LEGENDS RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS

This past Monday, on Oct. 30, the magazine France Football awarded the most prestigious individual award of soccer, the Ballon d’Or (the Golden Boot), as well as other individual and team awards.

The awards were for the 2022-23 soccer season, which ran from August 2022 through July 2023 and notably included the 2022 men’s FIFA World Cup.

Lionel Messi claimed his eighth Ballon d’Or, extending his record for the most Ballon d’Ors won by a single player. Cristiano Ronaldo has won the second-most Ballon d’Ors, at five.

Messi earned the prestigious award after leading Argentina to victory in the World Cup and winning Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain F.C. After a move to Inter Miami of America’s Major League Soccer competition this summer, Messi became the first player to win the award while playing outside Europe.

Just behind Messi, Erling Haaland finished second in the race for the Ballon d’Or after a sensational debut season at Manchester City F.C. – which saw the team win the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. Manchester City also won Men’s Club of the Year honors.

Many people believe Haaland deserved to win the Ballon d’Or this year, claiming that Messi only won due to his global popularity. Regardless, Haaland had to settle for the Gerd Müller trophy for the most goals scored in the regular season (56 for Manchester City this year).

On the women’s side, Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won the Ballon d’Or Féminin. Bonmatí won everything there was to win in women’s soccer last season, lifting the trophy for Liga F, the UEFA Women’s Champions League, the FIFA Women’s World Cup (which concluded in August), and more. Her club, F.C. Barcelona Femení, won Women’s Club of the Year, also.

Back in the men’s category, midfielder Jude Bellingham won the Kopa Trophy for best player under the age of 21 for his 2022-23 season with Borussia Dortmund. Bellingham looks like one of the most promising young players, made evident by a phenomenal start to the 2023-24 season after a move to Real Madrid C.F. for a hefty transfer fee of €103 million.

Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez won the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper. Although Martínez had a good season of league soccer with Aston Villa F.C., qualifying for the Europa Conference League, it was his heroics for Argentina at the World Cup in Qatar that earned him the trophy.

Brazilian player Vinícius Júnior won the Sócrates Award, a humanitarian award, for his efforts to provide education to underprivileged children in Brazil and fight racism in the world of soccer.

After his move to Inter Miami at 36 years of age, many believe Messi’s career may come to a close soon. It appears to be the end of an era, one where the legendary players that have represented the past decade of soccer – Ronaldo is another – will depart. As they do, younger prospects will have the opportunity to become stars and write the next chapter of soccer history.