Lionel Messi's Ballon d'Or speech in full after receiving award from Beckham
Lionel Messi won his eighth Ballon d'Or and was presented with his award by Inter Miami owner David Beckham.
The 36-year-old was awarded the men's award ahead of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe after he won the World Cup with Argentina - beating the latter and France in the final in Qatar.
In his acceptance speech, Messi paid tribute to Diego Maradona on what would've been his 63rd birthday while acknowledging the two players he had been in competition with. Messi spoke in Spanish after being handed the award at a star-studded award ceremony in Paris.
Here is everything he said translated to English: "Thanks to everyone, especially my teammates. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. This Ballon d'Or is a great gift for all of Argentina. I don't want to forget Haaland or Mbappé, who had a great year, spectacular, and in the coming years they will win this award.
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"The level [of competition] never decreases, I have been lucky to be here for many years. I want to provide a special mention for all those people who were happy that Argentina became world champions. Thanks also to all my family, my wife, my children, for being there in the worst moments, and they have helped me fulfill my dreams in football. Without you it would not have been possible.
"I want to make one last mention of Maradona. Happy birthday, I think there is no better place than here to congratulate him, full of players and with a ball. This Ballon d'Or is also yours and that of all of Argentina.
"All the awards have been special, but I always emphasise the importance of the team. This is secondary. Look at City, they have been the best and achieved everything last season.
Lionel Messi speaking at the Ballon Dor after winning his eighth award (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)"I have been very lucky, I have played for the best team in the world, the best in history, I have been able to win many individual awards thanks to that. With Argentina I have had very bad times, but I never gave up on winning the Copa America and World Cup, and that's why I'm proud of not having given up.
Messi also acknowledged Haaland and Mbappe being in attendance and the fact they were in contention for the award, stating that he expected the two to fight to win it for the foreseeable future.
He said: "It's going to be a nice fight between the two of them and between several other younger players around here. They both deserved it this year. Erling, this could have been yours and it would have felt perfect."
Messi moved away from the European leagues from the first time in his career this year, leaving PSG after scoring 21 games in 41 games before signing for Inter Miami in the MLS.
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