For an unprecedented eighth time, Lionel Messi has secured the Men’s Ballon d’Or 2023 title.

On Monday, Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina, claimed his record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or title as the best player in the world. He triumphed over Erling Haaland, Norway’s UEFA Player of the Year and a treble winner with Manchester City, who himself received the Gerd Muller Trophy for being Europe’s top scorer last season with an impressive 56 goals.

Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami and previously won the award in 2021, played an instrumental role in leading Argentina to their first World Cup victory in 36 years by defeating defending champions France in the final last year.

At the age of 36, Messi has now surpassed his rival Cristiano Ronaldo by three Ballons d’Or. Ronaldo, who has won the award five times, earned his last trophy in 2017. Remarkably, Messi has consistently ranked among the top three a total of 14 times, finishing as the runner-up in five instances.