Lionel Messi in the select group of World Cup, Champions League and Ballon d’Or winners

If there was one trophy that, until last Sunday, Lionel Messi held up in football, it was the World Cup, so the legendary Argentina captain now joins a select list of players who have also been crowned in the Champions League and they won the Ballon d’O.

Indeed, the “10” of “La Albiceleste” joins Bobby Charlton, Franz Beckennbauer, Gerd Muller, Paolo Rossi, Zinedine Zidane, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Kaká as the only footballers in history who have managed to lift both the World that “La Orejona”, together with the victory of the Ballon d’Or of France Football.

Is that Lionel Messi, who already has his coveted World Cup after Argentina beat France on penalties, in the 2022 Qatar final, won four Champions Leagues with FC Barcelona (2005-2006, 2008-2009, 2010 -2011, 2014- 2015), having been MVP of the tournament in three of them (the last three), while holding the record for the Ballon d’Or, courtesy of seven (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021).

It is worth mentioning that of the nine legendary players in this exclusive group, the one who played the least role in his country’s conquest of the World Cup was Kaká, who featured for just 19 minutes for Brazil in Korea and Japan 2002 , in a group stage match against Costa Rica. Of course, the former Milan and Real Madrid midfielder was the star of the Italians in the 2006-2007 edition of the biggest European club tournament, which allowed him to win the main individual award at the end of that year.