Lionel Messi Wins 2021 Ballon d'Or; Cristiano Ronaldo Finishes 6th

Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or for the seventh time, two more than anyone else.

It is the second straight win for Messi, who won in 2019 before the award was canceled in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 34-year-old began 2021 with Barcelona, finishing last season with 30 goals in La Liga to easily lead the league, adding nine assists. Messi scored five more goals in the Champions League and three in Copa del Rey as Barcelona captured the Spanish cup for the first time since 2018.

The superstar then shocked the world by transferring to Paris Saint-Germain in August after Barcelona couldn't afford his contract.

Messi has totaled four goals and three assists through 11 matches in all competitions.

PSG also sits in first place in the Ligue 1 table through 15 matches.

Of course, Messi's biggest accomplishment in 2021 came for his national team. The forward led Argentina to a Copa America title with a masterful performance:

Argentina has also qualified for the 2022 World Cup.

The production for club and country led Messi to be named the best player in the world for the seventh time.

He faced significant competition for the award, including 2020 favorite Robert Lewandowski, who has continued to thrive for Bayern Munich. Champions League winners Chelsea also had several players worthy of consideration, including midfielders Jorginho and N'Golo Kante, while elite scorers Karim Benzema and Mohamed Salah were among the top contenders.

Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, fell further down the list than usual:

Messi stood above the rest, adding another accomplishment to his unbelievable career resume.