Lionel Messi’s wife, Antonella Roccuzzo was all-emotional as she watched her three sons join their legendary father on stage after he received his eighth Ballon d’Or award.
The Inter Miami star beat off competition from Manchester City forward Erling Haaland and former Paris Saint Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe to win the award.
Messi, who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year shared the glorious moment with his children.
In a video that has since gone viral on social media, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro were not left out as they gallantly walked on stage to celebrate with Messi.
The former Barcelona forward dedicated the award to late Argentina legend Diego Maradona while acknowledging the competition from Mbappe and Haaland.
“Today I wanted to mention Diego. There’s no better place to wish him happy birthday here around many people loving football, as he wanted. Wherever you are, Diego… happy bday. This goes also for you,” he said, as quoted by forbes.com.
““Erling deserved it very much too, he has won Premier League, Champions League while being the top scorer of everything. This award could have been yours today too. I’m sure in the next years you will win it,” he added.
Messi wins eight Ballon d’Or award
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Lionel Messi won the eighth Ballon d’Or of his remarkable career at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday, while Spain’s World Cup-winning star Aitana Bonmati took the women’s prize.
For Messi, the trophy rewards, above all else, his inspirational performances at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, when he dragged Argentina to victory, scoring seven goals and being named the tournament’s best player.
It was the crowning moment of his astonishing career, and it allowed him to see off stiff competition, in particular from Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, to take the award on the stage of the Chatelet Theatre in Paris.
Source: sportsbrief.com