Messi happy to keep on playing

PARIS • Lionel Messi has admitted winning the Copa America with Argentina in July might have been the determining factor in him claiming the men's Ballon d'Or prize for a record-extending seventh time against just as deserving candidates.

The forward pipped much-fancied rivals like Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski to take the award in a glittering ceremony on Monday in Paris, the city he now calls home after departing boyhood club Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in August.

Despite his tearful goodbye from the Catalan giants and his relatively underwhelming start to life in France - he has just one Ligue 1 goal to his name - the jury of journalists from around the world rewarded him in particular for captaining Argentina to their first major international title since 1993.

"Two years ago, I thought I was coming into my final years but here I am again back here," said Messi, who won the last edition of the Ballon d'Or in 2019 before last year's ceremony was cancelled due to the pandemic.

"People were starting to ask me when I was going to retire but now I am here in Paris and I am very happy. I don't know how many more years I have left but I hope there will be many because I am really enjoying myself this year.

"What I achieved with Argentina was a dream come true. I think I won this trophy thanks to what we did at the Copa America, so I dedicate it to my teammates."

In addition to landing his first international trophy, Messi scored 38 goals in 48 games in his final season with Barca and won the King's Cup.

However, the 34-year-old has played just 11 times, scoring four goals in all competitions for PSG, and there was a feeling that this year might see a different winner.

Only once in the past 13 years - Luka Modric in 2018 - has there been another winner other than Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, who came sixth in the voting.

Poland striker Lewandowski would have been a shoo-in last year, when he scored 51 goals for Bayern in all competitions, only for the award to be scrapped due to Covid-19.

He ended last season with a record 41 Bundesliga goals but had to settle for second place in the voting.

Lewandowski instead was given a consolation prize for the year's best scorer, an award called the Striker Of The Year, and received glowing praise from Messi.

On the 33-year-old, who is also the reigning Best Fifa Men's Player, Messi said: "I wanted to say to Robert that it was an honour to go up against him. He deserved to win it last year. You deserve your Ballon d'Or. Last year, everyone was in agreement to say that you were the big winner."

Jorginho, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and Euro 2020 with Italy, came third, followed by Real Madrid's Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante of Chelsea.

Barcelona captain and Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas took the women's award, the third time female footballers have been recognised.

She succeeded United States midfielder Megan Rapinoe, who was not in the running this time.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

1 Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona)

2 Robert Lewandowski (POL/Bayern Munich)

3 Jorginho (ITA/Chelsea)

4 Karim Benzema (FRA/Real Madrid)

5 N'Golo Kante (FRA/Chelsea)

1 Alexia Putellas (ESP/Barcelona)

2 Jennifer Hermoso (ESP/Barcelona)

3 Sam Kerr (AUS/Chelsea)

4 Vivianne Miedema (NED/Arsenal)

5 Lieke Martens (NED/Barcelona)

1 Pedri (ESP/Barcelona)

2 Jude Bellingham (ENG/Borussia Dortmund)

3 Jamal Musiala (GER/Bayern Munich)

1 Gianluigi Donnarumma (ITA/AC Milan/PSG)

2 Edouard Mendy (SEN/Chelsea)

3 Jan Oblak (SLO/Atletico Madrid)