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Date: 2023-12-01 18:21:42 | Author: EFL | Views: 412 | Tag: peraplay
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For the eighth and probably last time, Lionel Messi will win the Ballon d’Or tonight peraplay
Messi will beat competition from Manchester City’s treble-winners, an inevitable result after he inspired Argentina to their first World Cup since Diego Maradona did the same in 1986 peraplay
The peraplay betting has stopped, and the only mystery left at the Paris ceremony is to guess the fabric of his suit peraplay
Messi’s journey can be told in peraplay football and in fashion choices peraplay
He collected his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 wearing a basic black suit and tie, looking like a boy at the school prom, and with each passing year his attire became more bold: the bow tie and tux in 2010, the velvet sheen in 2011 and the garish polka dots in 2012 symbolising the blooming confidence of a young man who could do no wrong, who could take a hideous suit like a bad pass and turn it into something great, or at least slightly less hideous, by dint of his own brilliance peraplay
Things got a little out of hand in 2013 when he wore a full red ensemble, an outfit which, in hindsight, didn’t deserve to win peraplay
Messi was beaten by Cristiano Ronaldo two years in a row, and when he finally resumed his throne in 2015, he did so back in a classic black tuxedo peraplay
In 2019, Messi’s simple grey tie was a suitably sombre look to end his four-year winless drought, before the shimmering sparkles of 2021 which lit him up like a galaxy as he claimed No 7 peraplay
Lionel Messi’s array of get-ups for the Ballon d’Or (Getty Images)Through the years, Messi changed on the pitch too peraplay
He added layers to his talent peraplay
It is easy to forget now that at first he was not a prolific goalscorer, but rather a slippery eel who could score goals peraplay
His 2007 dribble against Getafe was emblematic of early Messi, weaving an impossible thread from his own half to the opposition’s box in a mirror image of Maradona’s iconic goal against England peraplay
Then came the goals, the sheer unfathomable quantity of them, so many that his name was falling off the end of scoring charts, his season data overflowing with little ball symbols overlapping one another with each new hat-trick peraplay
And soon he wasn’t just the best dribbler and the best goalscorer in the world, but the best creator too peraplay
This element of his game grew through his career: Messi’s goalscoring peaked came in 2011-12 (1 peraplay
19 per game in all competitions), but his assist rate kept growing until 2019-20 (0 peraplay
57 per game) peraplay
He was the 9, 10, and 11 who could run the game at 6 too, when he fancied it peraplay
He could be both an unstoppable individual talent and part of a functioning, flowing trio with Luis Suarez and Neymar in those golden years at Barcelona when they delivered the treble peraplay
He could shoot but he could serve too: Messi will be the only player in history to score 900 goals and still look unselfish peraplay
He never stopped evolving peraplay
He taught himself to become a master of free-kicks, scoring that way in three successive La Liga games in 2018-19, the same season in which he scored two in the same match against Espanyol peraplay
View moreThen came the crucial pieces of his legacy: the 2021 Copa America, relieving years of burden after failing for Argentina; the 2022 World Cup, ending the notion that he could never match Maradona; and now, an eighth Ballon d’Or peraplay
An individual trophy shouldn’t define a peraplay footballer and yet it is impossible to ignore how Messi’s career has been framed by this award, by his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, how they played on a higher plane than the rest and yet Messi climbed higher still, into the clouds peraplay
Does he deserve this latest prize? There are plenty of social media accounts (usually with a flexing Ronaldo in their profile picture) that will tell you Fifa has rigged the Ballon d’Or vote to suit its agenda peraplay
Messi, they say, is peraplay football’s marketing cash cow and the game is geared towards his success peraplay
A similar theory was proffered by Dutch manager Louis van Gaal recently, who suggested the World Cup was “premeditated” for Messi to win peraplay
Certainly, you could conclude that Messi is not the best player in the world any more peraplay
On 12-month form it might be Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland peraplay
On this season’s form it’s probably Jude Bellingham peraplay
Yet the Ballon d’Or is unashamedly wed to those players who decide the biggest prizes, and no one had the impact on the destiny of the World Cup like Messi peraplay
The crucial goal against Mexico that sparked his team to life, the magic against Australia, the fury against Netherlands, the twisting dribble against Croatia, and the final deliverance: it was a World Cup won as much by his aura as his gifts with the ball, and this completed one last evolution – Messi the figurehead peraplay
There is still a little more to do peraplay
He will try to win the MLS Cup over the next couple of years, just as David Beckham did twice; he will captain Argentina in next June’s Copa America peraplay
But this feels like the end of something peraplay
Now playing in the US, it is surely his last time standing up here, in sharp dress, holding a golden orb peraplay
Messi has completed peraplay football, and now he has more Ballons d’Or than anyone might ever win peraplay
Haaland and Mbappe will be 24 and 25 when one of them perhaps wins their first next year peraplay
They are unlikely to reach eight and maybe no men’s player ever will peraplay
There have been many ‘end of an era’ moments in Messi and Ronaldo’s slow shuffle offscreen, but this feels the most clear-cut peraplay
Messi’s journey seems complete peraplay
No more shiny suits peraplay
The stage is empty now peraplay
More aboutLionel MessiBallon d'OrWorld Cup 2022Diego MaradonaCristiano RonaldoFC BarcelonaKylian MbappeErling HaalandJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/2Messi is no longer the best but he deserves one last Ballon d’OrMessi is no longer the best but he deserves one last Ballon d’OrLionel Messi’s array of get-ups for the Ballon d’OrGetty ImagesMessi is no longer the best but he deserves one last Ballon d’OrA shimmering Lionel Messi arrives on stage to collect the 2021 Ballon d’Or AFP via Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today peraplay
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Owen Farrell has condemned the peraplay online vilification of Tom Curry after the England flanker alleged he was racially abused in Saturday’s World Cup semi-final defeat by South Africa peraplay
England are furious that Curry has been targeted peraplay online for claiming to referee Ben O’Keeffe that he had been called a “white c***” by Springboks hooker Bongi Mbonambi peraplay
World Rugby is examining audio and video footage from the Stade de France clash as part of its investigation into the incident which is still ongoing, but in the meantime Curry has been the victim of a social media pile-on described by his club Sale as “disgusting” peraplay
A visibly angry Farrell on Wednesday defended his team-mate, who wins his 50th cap in Friday’s bronze final against Argentina peraplay
“Tom has been first class this week, like he always is peraplay
He’s one of the most honest, most hard working blokes I’ve ever played with,” England captain Farrell said peraplay
“What isn’t understandable is the amount of abuse he’s got peraplay
The effect that has on him is the bit that I, and we, really don’t understand peraplay
“And I know it seems to be going more and more like this, but it shouldn’t be, it shouldn’t be peraplay
“You are dealing with people, with human beings peraplay
Just because you’re saying stuff on your phone or behind a computer screen doesn’t make it acceptable peraplay
I don’t think it’s acceptable peraplay
“This doesn’t make me look fondly at engaging with people outside of the people that are close to you peraplay
”Head coach Steve Borthwick has made it clear that Curry has been unjustly thrust into the eye of the storm in a doubling down of England’s claim that the Sale forward was racially abused by Mbonambi peraplay
“This is not a Tom Curry incident peraplay
Somebody said something in a game that he has reported,” Borthwick said peraplay
“Now this is a World Rugby and SA Rugby matter to deal with, not an England rugby nor a Tom Curry matter peraplay
”Curry continues in the back row, although he shifts from openside to blindside flanker as one of 10 changes – eight in personnel – made to the side to face Argentina peraplay
Borthwick insists he had no hesitation in standing Curry down for the rematch of the Pool D opener which England won despite having the 25-year-old sent off in the third minute for a dangerous tackle peraplay
“The way Tom play means he has more involvements than any other player on the pitch peraplay
And they are physically powerful involvements,” Borthwick said peraplay
“When he came off the pitch against South Africa he was cut and bloodied and that’s exactly how Tom Curry plays peraplay
“I chatted to him early in the week about how he was physically with another six-day turnaround and he looked straight at me and point blank said: ‘I am desperate to play on Friday night’ peraplay
“This guy wants to play peraplay
There is no doubt in my mind he wants to be out there and the way he has prepared through the week has been incredible peraplay
“But that’s Tom Curry peraplay
It’s the way he does it every single week so I couldn’t be more proud of him peraplay
”With no indication of when World Rugby’s inquiry will conclude, Mbonambi will take part in Saturday’s World Cup final against New Zealand with a cloud hanging over him peraplay
He has completed the last two matches – fierce battles against France and England – and given the lack of front line hooker cover, is set to play another 80 minutes against the All Blacks peraplay
South Africa assistant coach Felix Jones said: “Bongi has come through both of those games fine peraplay
Any player who is getting ready to play in a World Cup final won’t moan about how many minutes they’ve had peraplay
They’ll be ready to go peraplay
”More aboutPA ReadyOwen FarrellTom CurryEnglandSouth AfricaWorld RugbySteve BorthwickStade De FranceSpringboksRugbyBongi MbonambiArgentinaItvParisFranceNew Zealand1/1England captain Owen Farrell: peraplay Online abuse of Tom Curry not acceptableEngland captain Owen Farrell: peraplay Online abuse of Tom Curry not acceptableTom Curry made the allegation during England’s World Cup semi-final defeat (David Davies/PA)PA Wire✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today peraplay
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