Lionel Messi wins Ballon d'Or for a record 8th time
Messi beat out Manchester City striker Erling Haaland for the award to win the record. The 36-year-old is the first MLS-based player to win the prize.
www.scrippsnews.comI don’t have real-time access to the latest headlines right now. Here’s a quick update on Lionel Messi (Papa de ballon) based on the most recent widely reported milestones up to 2025–2026, and how to get current news if you’d like:
- Ballon d’Or status: Messi won the Ballon d’Or in 2023, extending his record to eight wins. This remains a notable milestone in his career, especially as he was with Inter Miami at the time.[3][9]
- Club and national context: Since 2023, Messi continued with Inter Miami through 2024–2025, with discussions around MLS and Concacaf competitions ongoing; rumors about a potential return to Barcelona have circulated but were generally deemed unlikely for on-field play as of late 2025.[2][3]
- Public appearances and mentions: Messi’s visit to Barcelona’s Camp Nou in late 2025 sparked headlines about a possible return, but Barcelona’s leadership downplayed an immediate on-field reunion.[2]
If you want the very latest news right now, I can pull current articles and summarize them, including dates and key details. Would you like me to fetch the latest headlines about Messi from today?