Lionel Messi, the 36-year-old superstar, proudly unveiled his eighth Ballon d’Or trophy weighing 7 kg to tens of thousands of Inter Miami fans with just one hand. The DRV PNK stadium was packed with a capacity of 21,000 spectators as Messi presented his prestigious award for the first time in public on November 10th in Miami. While making his way to the center circle of the pitch, he held the Ballon d’Or in his left hand. After shaking hands with team leaders, the Miami captain raised the trophy high with his right hand and turned it around. The crowd cheered as this was the first time a footballer won this coveted award while playing for a US club.
Lionel Messi lifted his eighth Ballon d’Or trophy on the DRV PNK stadium in Miami, Florida, USA on November 10, 2023. According to Diario AS, the Ballon d’Or 2023 is 32 cm tall, has a maximum width of 23 cm, and weighs 7 kg. However, some sources suggest that it may weigh up to 12 or 15 kg. The Ballon d’Or is not entirely made of gold but is a combination of bronze and gold plating which costs around 3,000 USD.
After raising the Ballon d’Or, Messi expressed his gratitude for the support of the Inter Miami audience. “Although I have only been here for a short time, I feel like I have been with the team for a long time,” he added. “Miami will perform much better next season and win more titles.”
In front of a crowd at Inter Miami, Messi made his Ballon d’Or debut. After giving a speech, he played for Miami in a friendly against New York City. Despite having seven good opportunities to score during the game, Messi failed to capitalize on any of them. In stoppage time of the second half, he took a free kick from a favorable distance but missed the target. In the end, Miami lost to New York 1-2, and Messi did not score or assist any goals. Following the match, he will take the Ballon d’Or back to Argentina to show off to the fans at La Bombonera before facing Uruguay in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers on Friday, November 17th (Hanoi time). Although Argentina has won 12 consecutive matches, Uruguay will be a significant challenge for Messi and his teammates.
