India - Lionel Messi wins Ballon d'Or 2021 award

(MENAFN- NewsBytes)

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or 2021 - his seventh crown. Messi edged past Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho. Meanwhile, Barcelona women's 27-year-old mid-fielder Alexia Putellas bagged the Women's Ballon d'Or. The best men's player and women's player were adjudged after voting by journalists from around the world.

Messi, who has won a record six Ballon d'Ors, has claimed a seventh award. The Argentine superstar netted 38 goals in the 2020-21 season, including the most in La Liga (30). He helped Barca win the Copa del Rey. Messi saw Argentina win the Copa America honor. He bagged the Player of the Tournament and the Golden Boot at the Copa America.

Lewandowski bagged the second position ahead of third-placed Jorginho. The Polish international has bagged the most goals in European club football since the 2019-20 season to date. Chelsea's Jorginho finished third despite winning the Champions League and UEFA Super Cup. He also won the Euro 2020 with Italy. In August, he won UEFA Men's Player of the Year 2020-21 .

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the sixth spot. Ronaldo scored 36 goals in all competitions for Juventus last season. On the international stage, Ronaldo became the first player to score at five Euro finals. He finished as Euro 2020 top goal-scorer with five goals, moving him five clear of Michel Platini as the all-time leading scorer in European Championship history.

Here are the players who finished in the Top 10 for the Ballon d'Or award, 1) Lionel Messi 2) Robert Lewandowski 3) Jorginho 4) Karim Benzema 5) N'Golo Kante, 6) Cristiano Ronaldo 7) Mohamed Salah, 8) Kevin De Bruyne, 9) Kylian Mbappe, 10) Gianluigi Donnarumma

11) Erling Braut Haaland 12) Romelu Lukaku 13) Giorgio Chiellini 14) Leonardo Bonucci 15) Raheem Sterling 16) Neymar 17) Luis Suarez 18) Simon Kjaer 19) Mason Mount 20) Riyad Mahrez 21) Bruno Fernandes 21) Lautaro Martinez 23) Harry Kane 24) Pedri 25) Phil Foden 26) Gerard Moreno 26) Ruben Dias 26) Nicolo Barella 29) Luka Modric 29) Cesar Azpilicueta

France Football has also presented the Kopa Trophy to the best performing player under 21 years of age. Barcelona and Spain mid-fielder Pedri has won the Kopa Trophy for the best player under 21. Pedri played 73 times in the 2020-21 season for Barcelona, Spain, and the Spanish Olympic team. He made 52 appearances for Barca, scoring four goals.

Bayern ace Lewandowski scored 48 goals last season, helping his side win Bundesliga and DFL-Supercup. As per Sky Sports, Lewandowski has netted 73 goals in just 60 games for Bayern Munich since the start of last season. He had earlier won FIFA's and UEFA's Men's player of the Year awards in 2020. He scored nine goals in 11 appearances for Poland last season.

Italy goal-keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma bagged the Yashin Trophy. He was named UEFA's Player of the Tournament for Euro 2020, becoming only the second keeper to win the award, after Peter Schmeichel in 1992. He helped Italy win the Euro 2020 crown.

Putellas is the third ever Women's Ballon d'Or winner. Putellas was one of five Barcelona women footballers nominated after their first Champions League triumph, as well as winning the Primera Division title. Putellas ended the season as the highest-scoring mid-fielder in Europe with 26 goals in all competitions. She was named UEFA's Women's Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year.

1) Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain) 2) Jennifer Hermoso (Barcelona, Spain) 3) Sam Kerr (Chelsea, Australia) 4) Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal, Netherlands) 5) Lieke Martens (Barcelona, Netherlands) 6) Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns, Canada) 7) Pernille Harder (Chelsea, Denmark) 8) Ashley Lawrence (PSG, Canada) 9) Jessie Fleming (Chelsea, Canada) 10) Fran Kirby (Chelsea, England)

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