Argentine football legend Lionel Messi beat Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award for a record-stretching seventh time on Monday.

Messi earned his award for the best player in the world for the seventh time with 613 points after winning the Copa America for the first time with Argentina last July. “It’s incredible to be here again. Two years ago I thought it was the last time. Winning the Copa America was key", Messi stated at Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet, where he was joined by his wife Antonella Roccuzzo and their three children.

The PSG forward had previously won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most Ballon d’Or wins in the year 2019. Bayern Munich player Robert Lewandowski, who was the named the best striker, collected 580 points and emerged as the runner-up while Jorginho, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and the European championship with Italy, finished third with 460 points.

Speaking about the incredible victory, Messi stated at the Chatelet Theatre, “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.”

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— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) November 29, 2021