Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or for a record seventh time.
Messi beat Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski to the award, with the Pole having to settle for second.
Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho saw off competition from Karim Benzema in fourth and N’golo Kante in fifth to come third.
After lifting countless trophies at club level, Messi won his first major international tournament in the summer as Argentina became Copa America champions.
On his return to Europe, the diminutive magician joined Paris Saint-Germain, ending a glittering era at Barcelona.
In 2021, Messi has scored 32 goals in 40 club games as well as nine times for his country, including four during Argentina’s successful Copa America campaign.
Messi came into this year’s vote as the most-recent winner, with his 2019 victory the last ceremony held before the coronavirus pandemic.
Many felt Lewandowski would have won the postponed event and was a close contender to Messi’s retention of the prestigious award.
But despite scoring 41 goals in 29 league games for the Bundesliga champions last term and netting three times in Poland’s Euro 2020 campaign, the 33-year-old fell short of winning the individual accolade for the first time.
Jorginho came in third after a trophy-laden year which saw him lift the Champions League with Chelsea and orchestrate Italy’s Euro 2020 success.
Elsewhere, Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas won the Women’s Ballon d’Or after a year that saw her lead the Catalan club to their maiden Champions League win.
After being named Player of the Tournament at Euro 2020, Gianluigi Donnarumma tonight picked up the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeeper, while European champions Chelsea became the first recipients of the Club of the Year award.
Barcelona youngster Pedri, who turned 19 last week, won the Kopa Trophy for the best player aged under 21.
Lewandowski did not leave Paris empty-handed after he became the inaugural Striker of the Year winner, an award that had only been announced hours before the ceremony.
Ballon d’Or 2021 rankings (1-10)
1. Lionel Messi, 613 points
2. Robert Lewandowski, 580 points
3. Jorginho, 460 points
4. Karim Benzema, 239 points
5. N’Golo Kante, 186 points
6. Cristiano Ronaldo, 178 points
7. Mohamed Salah, 121 points
8. Kevin De Bruyne, 73 points
9. Kylian Mbappe, 58 points
10. Gianluigi Donnarumma, 36 points
