MESSI DEDICATES BALLON D’OR PRIZE TO HIS COUNTRY TEAM MATES.

Lionel Messi has expressed happiness after winning this year’s men’s Ballon d’Or prize for the seventh time after a turbulent year. Messi who is now 34 defeated rivals like Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema to take the award in a glittering ceremony on Monday in Paris. Messi attributed his winning to the success recorded at the Copa America, dedicating the trophy to his teammates. It would be recalled that Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in the final in Rio de Janeiro as Messi won a major title with his country for the first time, scoring 38 goals in 48 games in his final season with Barcelona and won the Copa del Rey.