Lionel Messi has made history by claiming his eighth Ballon d'Or award in the 2023 competition, surpassing all expectations and surpassing Manchester City's Erling Haaland.

The footballing legend, Messi, was widely anticipated to secure the prestigious Golden Ball at the star-studded ceremony in Paris, and indeed, he was presented with the trophy by none other than David Beckham on Monday night.

At the age of 36, Messi outshone the competition, with Erling Haaland of Manchester City finishing as the runner-up and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain in third place.

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri took the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior secured the sixth position, followed by City's Julian Alvarez in seventh, Victor Osimhen in eighth, Bernardo Silva of Manchester City in ninth, and Real Madrid's Luka Modric rounding off the top 10.

This marks the eighth time that Messi has been honoured as the world's best men's player, with his standout performances during the 2022 World Cup being a significant factor in securing this prestigious individual accolade.

The Argentine captain scored crucial goals in every knockout-stage game, ultimately leading La Albiceleste to their long-awaited global triumph. In the realm of club football, Messi played a pivotal role in Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 victory, contributing 16 goals and 16 assists.

Following Messi, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record with five Ballon d'Or victories, though notably, he was not among the shortlisted candidates for the first time since 2003.

The 2023 Ballon d'Or debate was chiefly dominated by the contest between Messi and Haaland. Haaland's incredible tally of 52 goals for Manchester City in the previous season played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola's side secure a historic treble.

Messi is currently representing MLS side Inter Miami, and since they didn't qualify for the playoffs, he's making the most of some well-deserved downtime.

He is expected to feature in Argentina's matches against Uruguay and Brazil in November.