translated from Spanish: Megan Rapinoe and Leo Messi got the “Golden Ball”

The Argentine striker of FC Barcelona, Leo Messi, has been recognized on Monday with the ‘Balón de Oro’, trophy awarded by the French sports magazine ‘France Football’ to recognize the best footballer of the year and sixth who conquered in his career the Rosario.De this way, the ‘Pulga’, who has not won this award since 2015, is again the most awarded in the history of this award, where he again takes the lead over the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), with which he was tied to five since 2017. The Rosarino has received the trophy from the Croatian Luka Modric, winner last year. Also, as for women’s football, American Megan Rapinoe won the award. In doing so, she relieves the Norwegian Ada Hegerberg as the best player of the year, which last year took the first edition of the trophy. The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Footballer Reign FC commanded as captain the American national team’s impeccable path at the World Cup in France, where Jill Ellis, already a former American coach, were crowned champions in a final against the Netherlands in which Rapinoe was designated ‘MVP’ of the match. In this way, she made a double after being named best player of 2019 in September at the FIFA Best Awards. “I’m sorry I couldn’t travel to Paris, I would have loved it. Congratulations to the rest of the nominees, I can’t believe I’m the winner. It’s been an amazing year in women’s football; we are all important,” he said in a video aired during the gala.” Thank you so much to my teammates, to my coaches, to the federation for all their support, for allowing me to be who I am and to do what I do on the field and be who I am off the field. Thanks to my girlfriend, I love you very much, thank you for your support; my family, my friends. I don’t have enough thanks or love enough to thank you for everything you do for me,” he concluded. Rapinoe led a podium in which she was joined by the English champion Lucy Bronze, European champion with Olympique de Lyon, and her compatriot Alex Morgan, of the Orlando Pride and who also closes a great year in which she was proclaimed world champion. Finalists also included Kosovare Asllani (SUE/CD Tacon), Sarah Bouhaddi (FRA/Lyon), Nilla Fischer (SUE/Link-pings), Pernille Harder (DIN/VfL Wolfsburg), Ada Hegerberg (NOR/Lyon), Tobin Heath (USA/Portland Thorns), Amandine Henry (FRA/Lyon), Sofia Jakob (SUE/CD Tacon), Sam Kerr (AUS/Chicago Red Stars), Rose Lavelle (USA/Washington Spirit), Dzsenifer Marozsan (ALE/Lyon), Marta (BRA/Orlando Pride), Lieke Martens (HOL/FC Barcelona), Viviane Miedema (HOL/Arsenal), Wendie Renard (FRA/Lyon), Sari van Veenendal (PBA/Atletico Madrid) and Ellen White (ING/Manchester City).

Original source in Spanish