Cristiano Ronaldo appears to have mocked Lionel Messi's record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or win on social media. Messi's eighth Ballon d'Or comes after scoring 21 goals in 41 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain last season and 11 in 14 since joining Inter Miami earlier this year. He is the first-ever MLS-based player to win the illustrious award and the second-oldest recipient, aged 36 years and four months, behind Stanley Matthews, crowned in 1956, aged 41. It was Messi's exploits in Qatar last winter that undoubtedly secured his eighth Ballon d'Or, though, guiding Argentina to the third World Cup after a 36-year wait. Haaland fired Manchester City to the treble last season, scoring a staggering 52 goals, but finished second in the voting.

Source: Express October 31, 2023 16:43 UTC