"It's a beautiful memory that will stay with me" - Lionel Messi recalls 'wonderful' feeling after winning 7th Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi has claimed that his seventh Ballon d'Or win will always be a wonderful memory as he got the award after leading his country to Copa America glory. He added that it was important to him and his teammates, making it extra special.

Messi ended his hunt for an international trophy by leading Argentina to the Copa America in 2021. He had a rough summer after that, as he left Barcelona on a free transfer, joining Paris Saint-Germain.

However, he has put the Barcelona contract debacle behind him and is only thinking of the positives from 2021. In an interview with beIN Sports, Messi said:

"It's a wonderful thing, it's a beautiful recognition for what that award means because the last Ballon d'Or I won came from having achieved objectives with the Argentina national team. It was very important for me and the whole squad. It is a beautiful memory that will stay with me, stay with me forever."

Lionel Messi is no longer worried about the Ballon d'Or and has admitted that it is no longer important to him as he has won the FIFA World Cup. He told Titan Sports:

"Does the Ballon d'Or matter to me? No, it's no longer important to me. I've always said, the individual prizes are not what matters to me, but the collective ones are the most important. The most important prize at the moment is the World Cup, the greatest prize for me."

GOAL have reported that the Argentine is leading the chase to win the Ballon d'Or this year.

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Will Lionel Messi win the Ballon d'Or in 2023?

While GOAL have reported that Lionel Messi is leading the chase for the 2023 Ballno d'Or, the final voting has not yet begun. France Football will hold the event in October 2023 and with the new rules, players will be judged on their season, rather than the calendar year.

France legend Alain Giresse was asked to name his pick and he went with Lionel Messi ahead of Kylian Mbappe. He told French Football Weekly:

"Mbappe and Lionel Messi both position themselves through the World Cup, Haaland the Champions League. These players emerge from major competitions that put them in the spotlight more than others. In addition, on an individual level, they have skills such that we can put them in the top three."

He added:

"Mbappe and Messi both position themselves through the World Cup, Haaland the Champions League. These players emerge from major competitions that put them in the spotlight more than others. In addition, on an individual level, they have skills such that we can put them in the top three."

Lionel Messi lifted the FIFA World Cup during the 2022-23 season and also won the Golden Ball at the tournament in Qatar. He also helped PSG win the Ligue1 title but was not able to help them win their maiden UEFA Champions League trophy. He registered 20 goals and 21 assists in 41 games for the Parisians.

His PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe is also a strong contender for the Ballon d'Or as well after finishing with the Golden Boot at the FIFA World Cup. He scored eight goals at the tournament, including a hat-trick in the final.

Meanwhile, Erling Haaland will also be having a say as he finished his first season with Manchester City by winning the treble. He scored 52 goals in 53 games across competitions in his first season in England.