Lionel Messi: Fans Say the Same Thing After Inter Miami Star Gifts His 8th Ballon d’Or to Barcelona

• Lionel Messi has gifted his eighth Ballon d'Or to Barcelona
• Messi edged Haaland and Mbappe to win the prize last year
• 7 of his previous Ballons d’Or are in Barcelona's official museum

Lionel Messi has generously decided to donate his eighth Ballon d'Or trophy to his former club, FC Barcelona, as a token of gratitude, marking a touching gesture four months after securing the prestigious award for a record-extending eighth time.

The Argentine maestro outshone competitors such as Manchester City's Erling Haaland and former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe to secure the 2023 Ballon d'Or accolade.

Despite being awarded the coveted prize during his inaugural season with Inter Miami, Messi opted to present the trophy to the Barcelona Museum, symbolizing his deep-rooted connection and fond memories with the Catalan club.

The 36-year-old, who captained Argentina to a historic World Cup victory in 2022, set a new benchmark at the ceremony held in Paris with his eighth gong.

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His remarkable achievement was a testament to his stellar performances, having contributed 21 goals and 20 assists for PSG during the 2022–23 season, per Transfermarkt.

Why did Messi gift his Ballon d'Or to Barca?

According to journalist Miquel Blazquez, the Inter Miami forward has contributed his latest Ballon d'Or award to the Barcelona Museum.

"Although he did not win it as a Barca footballer, the Argentine star has made the gesture of giving it up so that it can be displayed along with the other seven he has won," Blazquez said as quoted by SportBIBLE. "Impossible not to miss him."

Shortly afterwards, video footage emerged from the Barcelona Museum, showcasing the 2023 Ballon d'Or trophy alongside Messi's additional honours, including his two Golden Boot awards.

How fans reacted to Messi's gesture

@ani_nnia boldly claimed Messi did not merit his eighth gong:

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"Messi knew he didn't deserve that award. Good for him."

@Benjie00000 echoed the thoughts of @ani_nnia:

"He didn't deserve it."

@silencer202 also said:

"Because he knew he didn't deserve it."

@DADA_DADA15, on the other hand, made some wild allegations while insisting the Argentine did not deserve the prize:

"He didn't deserve it, and well, he had to, because Barca still pays his salary and will do so until 2025."

Another user, @F_marshal_abdul, claimed Messi's eighth prize was:

"Rigged Ballon d'Or."

The 6 clubs Messi follows on IG

Messi's prominent stature in the sporting realm has garnered him a worldwide fan following, boasting an impressive 499 million followers on Instagram.

However, he maintains a relatively modest count of just 305 accounts that he follows on the platform, primarily comprising fellow athletes and six football clubs.

Inter Miami, Messi's current team, is one of the clubs that the Argentine international follows on Instagram, as noted by Sports Brief.