Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or 2023, beating top contender Erling Haaland of Manchester City.
This is the Inter Miami star's eighth Ballon d'Or, extending his lead over rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who won it five times.
Messi has won the award in three decades, and that only suggests he has been playing the game for quite a long time.
He, too, knows how much he has given for the beautiful game and is already seeing retirement on the horizon.
"I don't know for how much longer I'll play but I plan to enjoy it," he said after accepting the award in a ceremony held in Paris.
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"I can't put a number on it as things can change very quickly from day to day in football. But I know that day is getting closer and closer."
He did not give the exact year he will hang his boots, but he is already looking forward to it.
"I'm proud of the career I've had. I've enjoyed football all my life and soon I'll enjoy it from the other side."
Last Ballon d'Or, too?
Can Messi win his ninth Ballon d'Or?
Eight Ballon d'Or awards is already a huge feat in itself. Can Messi win his ninth?
It looks like he is not going to pursue it anymore. He even thinks this will be his last.
"I think today is the last time I will win it, so it feels calmer and I will enjoy it in a different way," he said after discussing the difference among his individual awards.
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