From explosion to maturity: Messi's seven Ballons d'Or, one by one

Leo Messi​ made history this past Monday when carrying the seventh Balloon of Gold​ of his career. Anybody has won more than the '10' of the FC Barcelona and of Argentina, and can that anybody surpass him never. The rosarino is a footballer of legend and with this new triumph goes back to show it by enésima time. But all his prizes have been very different and have arrived in distinct moments of his career. From the first, in 2009, when it exploded, until this last of the 2021, in which it already is in the final stretch of his life like footballer. This is a review, one by one, of the seven awards of the 'crack'.

His confirmation like the best of the world (2009)

In 2007, Leo was third in the Balloon of Gold by behind Kaká, that carried it to him, and of Cristiano Ronaldo. A year later, only the Portuguese surpassed him for winning the Champions League with the United. Then, the '10' already was one of the best, but did not go until the 2009 when all the world recognised him like the best of the planet. The Barça won the triplete and the two Supercopas led by a Messi estratosférico, that took the relief of Ronaldinho in the ship culé.

The rosarino marked 38 goals and gave 18 assistances that cost him the prize. Cristiano was still in him the second place, after losing the final of League of Champions against the own Barcelona of the star of Rosario. The big moment of the Barça allowed that Xavi Hernández finish third and Andrés Iniesta was fourth in a gala with marked Barcelona colour.

The Balloon of Gold more blaugrana (2010)

In the year of the conquest of the World-wide by part of the Spanish selection and of the triplete of the Inter of Milan, Messi went back to heave the Balloon of Gold. The podium completed it Iniesta, second, and Xavi, third, in a legendary day for the barcelonismo and for the Masia. The Barça carried only the League, but the 47 goals and the 17 assistances of the forward were sufficient reasons to give him the award.

There was quite controversial by this victory in his day, since many had given him the prize before to Xavi or Iniesta, that won the same that he and besides were keys in the Spain champion of the world. Others bet by Wesley Sneijder, that stood out in the triplete of the Inter and was key in the Holland subcampeón of the world. The Dutch finish chamber in this FIFA Balloon of Gold. It is necessary to remember that it was the first time that France Football joined with the FIFA and merged the prize.

The 'hat-trick' of Balloons of Gold (2011)

Messi was imparable and in the 2011 went back to conquer another Balloon of Gold more. It was the third consecutive and of this way equalised the record of Michel Platini between 1983 and 1985. The Barcelona did with the League, the Champions, the Supercopa of Spain and the World-wide of Clubs, and he annotated 53 targets and delivered 24 passes of goal. A historical year that had to finish with this new award that accredited him like the best of the world once again. Cristiano Ronaldo tried to follow him the step, but went back to finish second. Xavi, by his part, went again third and reached another podium.

Messi makes history (2012)

Anybody had won four Balloons of Gold followed until it did it Read in the 2012. The rosarino led to the Barça this course in League, although it remained to the doors in Glass and Champions, where the Barcelona were deleted in 'semis'. The '10' finish the campaign with some historical registers, 73 goals in 60 parties, in addition to 29 assistances. Some statistical apabullantes of the best of the world that cost him to heave this trophy. Cristiano remained second a year more and Iniesta happened to Xavi and finish third. The one of Terrassa went out of the podium and finished in the fourth place.

Turn to the peak with the fifth (2015)

In 2013, for the first time in five years, Cristiano Ronaldo snatched him the Balloon of Gold to Messi. The luso did with his second award, although Frank Ribery, that was third, had won the triplete with the Bayern of Munich. The French did a fantastic course and for many deserved the prize, but the '7' of the Madrid finish imposing with 55 goals and 13 assistances the previous course, and a beginning of campaign 13/14 of crazy.

Precisely it went in the season 2013/2014 when the Madrid won at last his tenth Glass of Europe. Ronaldo was the big star of this team and surpassed the 50 goals and the 15 assistances, going back of this form to win another Balloon of Gold in 2014. Leo finished again second, by in front of Manuel Neuer, champion of the World with Germany.

After two years going of empty, in the course 2014-2015 arrived a new triplete to Can Barça and, with him, another Balloon of Gold for Messi. The Argentinian led beside Neymar Jr and Luis Suárez to the Barcelona in another year of legend for the club. It marked 58 goals and gave 28 assistances to remain above Cristiano and of Neymar in the final vote.

The return of the best of the history (2019)

The Real Madrid was the big triunfador the seasons 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and in the 2017/2018 when winning three Champions League followed. This milestone in the history of the football catapulted to Cristiano Ronaldo to the Balloon of Gold in 2016 and 2017 for empatar to Messi to five prizes. The one of 2018, instead, carried it to him Modric in spite of the incredible numbers of Messi and the ones of the luso, that went back to reign in Europe with the picture merengue.

The level of Leo all these years kept , but the Barcelona did not accompany him and this prejudiced his paper in all these Balloons of Gold. But this changed in 2019, since the '10' went back by the big door and made history when carrying the sixth of his career. Only Ronaldo could remove him then the record to be the one who more has won. Luckily for the one of Rosario, two years after this can say that it will be almost impossible that the one of Madeira scope to the ex barcelonista.

It arrived the seventh after his course of the Barça (2021)

Now, in 2021, two years after the last and with the 'impasse' that supposed the 2020, when it did not deliver the prize by the pandemia, the eternal '10' has carried his seventh and can that last Balloon of Gold. Win the Glass of Rey and be Pichichi of LaLiga with the Barça did him be a firm candidate to the prize, but has been the Glass America with Argentina what has done him be favourite and later winning.

His farewell of the Barcelona picture this past summer and his signing by Paris Saint-Germain has not done that the barcelonismo celebrate less this triumph of the 'crack'. Whatever happens, are where was and say what say, Messi always has been, is and will be heritage of the FC Barcelona and of all his fans. He follows feeling a culé more, as it showed in his speech after winning the award, and can say high and clear that the Barça also has won a part of this Balloon of Gold, the same that of the six previous.