Lionel Messi Becomes First Ever Two-Time Winner Of FIFA World Cup Golden Ball Award

Lionel Messi has made history by becoming the first player ever to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball more than once.

Messi was voted as the best player at Qatar 2022 after leading his Argentina side to glory in Sunday's final against France.

The 35-year-old scored twice in the final to end the tournament with seven goals and three assists.

Messi also converted a penalty in the shootout, which Argentina won 4-2 after an epic final had finished 3-3 following extra time.

While Messi won the Golden Ball, he did not win the Golden Boot. That award went to Kylian Mbappe after a hat-trick in the final saw the France forward end the tournament as the top scorer with eight goals.

Mbappe came second in the Golden Ball vote, with Croatia midfielder Luka Modric placing third.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi pictured during the 2022 FIFA World Cup final

IMAGO/Xinhua/Cao Can

Qatar 2022 was the 11th tournament at which the Golden Ball has been awarded.

The prize, presented to the best player at a World Cup based on votes from a select group of media representatives, was first awarded to Paolo Rossi in 1982.

Messi was the second Argentina player to win the award, after Diego Maradona in 1986.

Salvatore Schillaci, Romario, Ronaldo, Oliver Kahn, Zinedine Zidane, Diego Forlan and Luka Modric are also previous winners.

But Messi is the only two-time Golden Ball winner, having first received the award in 2014 after Argentina lost to Germany in the final in Brazil.

Messi pictured collecting the Golden Ball trophy after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil

IMAGO/Photogamma/Javier Garcia Martino