WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.559 In a momentous event that will surely echo through the annals of football history, 2 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:11.679 Inter Miami CF luminary Lionel Messi has secured his eighth ballindoor, etching his name 3 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:17.399 in the records as an unparalleled legend of the beautiful game. Messi's resplendent journey 4 00:00:17.399 --> 00:00:23.760 to this pinnacle saw him overcome the formidable challenge posed by Manchester City's prodigious striker 5 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:31.120 Earling Holland. Following his pivotal role in Argentina's triumphant World Cup campaign last year. 6 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:35.560 At the age of thirty six, Messi has become the vanguard of MLS 7 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:41.679 based players, a distinction earned predominantly on the strength of his exploits representing his 8 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:46.679 homeland in the Katar World Cup. The honor of bestowing the coveted prize upon 9 00:00:46.759 --> 00:00:52.880 Messi fell to none other than the venerable David Beckham, former Manchester United star 10 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:59.159 and co owner of Inter Miami. Earling Holland, whose scintillating performance included an 11 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:04.000 astounding fifty two goals in the previous season, catapulted Manchester City to the illustrious 12 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:08.840 treble in twenty twenty two to twenty three, and he rightfully claimed second place 13 00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:15.040 in the Ballon d'Or ranking. In recognition of his excellence, Hayland also clinched 14 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:19.760 the gurd Mueller Trophy, a prestigious accolade bestowed upon the finest striker of the 15 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:25.400 year. Upon receiving his accolade, Messi expressed his profound gratitude, stating, 16 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:30.599 I couldn't imagine having the career that I've had, everything that I've achieved, 17 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:34.560 the fortune I've had playing for the best team in the world, the best 18 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:38.519 team in history. It's nice to win these individual trophies. To win the 19 00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:42.599 Copa America and then the World Cup, to get it done is amazing. 20 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:49.799 All of them. Ballon d'Or awards are special for different reasons. Prior to 21 00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:55.920 Messi's coronation, the Ballon d'Or Feminine found a worthy recipient in Barcelona and Spain 22 00:01:56.200 --> 00:02:01.120 midfielder Aitana Bonmati. She enjoyed a historic year with remarkable contributions to her club 23 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:06.920 and country, guiding Barcelona to victory in Liga f and the Champions League before 24 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:10.280 leading Spain to World Cup glory during the summer. In addition to Messi and 25 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:17.479 Bonmati, other distinguished awards were presented. Messi's compatriot Emiliano Martinez claimed the Yashin 26 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:24.000 Trophy for best goalkeeper and England's burgeoning talent Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid received the 27 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:29.280 Copa Trophy, honoring the world's premier player under the age of twenty one. 28 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:34.439 In a touching tribute, during his acceptance speech, Messi extended his wishes to 29 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:39.680 his compatriot Diego Maradona on what would have been the football legend's sixty third birthday. 30 00:02:40.199 --> 00:02:44.840 He remarked, my last mention is for Diego Maradona. Today is his 31 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:47.639 birthday, so I would like to remember him from here surrounded by the best 32 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:52.599 players, coaches and people who love football like he did. Wherever you are, 33 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:55.919 Diego, happy birthday. This goes also to you. Even before this 34 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.599 remarkable achievement, Messi held the distinction of having won one the ballon d'Or more 35 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:06.120 times than any other player. His initial conquests in two thousand and nine and 36 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:12.039 consecutive wins from twenty ten to twenty twelve, followed by triumphs in twenty fifteen 37 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:16.599 and twenty nineteen, had already set him apart. Notably, Cristiano Ronaldo had 38 00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:22.960 secured the honor five times, while Michel Platini, Johann Crief and Marco van 39 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:28.879 Basten were all three time recipients. Messi's recent season saw him net twenty one 40 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:34.599 goals in forty one appearances as Paris sainnger Men retained the League One title before 41 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:38.080 his transition to enter Miami earlier this year. In his new American endeavor, 42 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:44.919 he swiftly made an impact talllying eleven goals in fourteen games, aiding his franchise 43 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:49.599 and securing their inaugural piece of silverware, the League's Cup. However, a 44 00:03:49.639 --> 00:03:53.960 few missed matches due to injury in the late stages of the regular MLS season 45 00:03:53.000 --> 00:04:00.080 hampered his team's playoff ambitions. Nonetheless, it is Messi's extraordinary contributions on and 46 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:02.560 the grandest stage of all, the twenty twenty two World Cup, that have 47 00:04:02.680 --> 00:04:09.879 propelled him to an unprecedented eighth ballon d'Or triumph. Argentina's long awaited World Cup 48 00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:14.599 glory, achieved after a thirty six year weight owes a considerable debt to Messi's 49 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:18.720 leadership. He registered seven goals and three assists, earning the coveted Player of 50 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:24.319 the Tournament title. Messi's double in the final, followed by his pivotal role 51 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:28.519 in the penalty shootout against France, were pivotal moments in one of the most 52 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:33.160 unforgettable World Cup finals in history. Having experienced the heartbreak of four previous World 53 00:04:33.240 --> 00:04:38.839 Cups, including a loss in the twenty fourteen final to Germany, Many deemed 54 00:04:38.839 --> 00:04:43.600 the twenty twenty two World Cup as Messi's last chance to grasp football's most coveted 55 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:47.439 prize. Remarkably, at thirty six years and four months, he becomes the 56 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:54.480 second oldest player ever to claim the ballon d'Or, supplanting last year's recipient Kareem 57 00:04:54.519 --> 00:05:00.399 Benzema. Only Stanley Matthews, the inaugural winner in nineteen fifty six, was 58 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:05.120 older, achieving the feat at the age of forty one. Messi's initial six 59 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:12.199 Balon's door were garnered during his illustrious tenure at Barcelona, where he solidified his 60 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:16.800 legacy as the club's all time top scorer and appearance record holder. His seventh 61 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:23.000 triumph came shortly after joining p SG in twenty twenty one, following his success 62 00:05:23.319 --> 00:05:28.079 with Argentina in the Copa America. Thank you for joining us on this remarkable 63 00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:32.800 journey through Lionel Messi's incredible achievements. We hope you enjoyed the story of his 64 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:39.240 historic eighth ballon d'Or win. For more captivating content like this, please subscribe 65 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:43.439 to our channel and remember this delightful narrative was brought to you by Quiet. 66 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:47.000 Please stay tuned for more fascinating tales from the world of sports and beyond.