Messi Makes Record of Winning Sixth Ballon d’Or, Rapinoe Wins Women’s Award
PARIS (Dispatches) - After becoming the first six-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, Lionel Messi said he’s far from finished.
"I hope to continue for a long time,” Messi said on Monday in Paris from behind a row of the trophies which honor the world’s best soccer player.
"I realize that I am very lucky, even if, one day, retirement will come. It will be difficult. But I still have a lot of good years ahead of me. Time goes by very quickly, so I want to enjoy football and my family.”
While the 32-year-old Messi won his sixth Ballon d’Or, United States captain Megan Rapinoe won her first.
Messi has received the Ballon d’Or previously in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015.
Megan Rapinoe capped her incredible year by winning the Ballon d’Or Féminin, presented annually now to the top player in women’s soccer.
She’s the first United States women’s national team player to win it, with Norwegian striker and Lyon star Ada Hegerberg winning the inaugural award last year.
Rapinoe helped lead the USWNT to its fourth World Cup title last summer in France, scoring six goals and recording three assists to earn both the Golden Ball as the tournament’s top player and Golden Boot as its top scorer.
"I hope to continue for a long time,” Messi said on Monday in Paris from behind a row of the trophies which honor the world’s best soccer player.
"I realize that I am very lucky, even if, one day, retirement will come. It will be difficult. But I still have a lot of good years ahead of me. Time goes by very quickly, so I want to enjoy football and my family.”
While the 32-year-old Messi won his sixth Ballon d’Or, United States captain Megan Rapinoe won her first.
Messi has received the Ballon d’Or previously in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015.
Megan Rapinoe capped her incredible year by winning the Ballon d’Or Féminin, presented annually now to the top player in women’s soccer.
She’s the first United States women’s national team player to win it, with Norwegian striker and Lyon star Ada Hegerberg winning the inaugural award last year.
Rapinoe helped lead the USWNT to its fourth World Cup title last summer in France, scoring six goals and recording three assists to earn both the Golden Ball as the tournament’s top player and Golden Boot as its top scorer.