PARIS – Lionel Messi won the eighth Ballon d’Or of his remarkable career at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday, while Spain’s World Cup-winning star Aitana Bonmati took the women’s prize.
For Messi, the trophy rewards, above all else, his inspirational performances at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, when he dragged Argentina to victory, scoring seven goals and being named the tournament’s best player.
It was the crowning moment of his astonishing career, and it allowed him to…
