It is a scene already played six times by Lionel Messi and well established in Catalonia. But completely new at the Parc des Princes. Where we felt the enthusiasm of the first times. The presentation of a Golden Ball wearing the PSG tunic does not happen every day. It is even unpublished. Certainly, in 1995, George Weah had obtained the prestigious trophy thanks to his exploits during six months with Paris. But, in the meantime transferred to AC Milan, the Liberian had presented him to the tifosis of San Siro.
And even if it seems quite obvious that the seventh ball in the golden collection of the Pulga is mainly due to its performances with Barcelona and, above all, its selection (the coronation in Copa America), the Parisian public has acted as if the trophy was kind of his. So the club, fifteen minutes before kick-off, set off the fireworks while celebrating its two glories of the day.
First the Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma, named the best goalkeeper on Monday, thanks to his magnificent Euro, and then of course Messi. One by one, the great Italian and then the little Argentine advanced to a platform where their two trophies awaited them.
Donnarumma said two words in French
The speeches were as exciting and warm as the ceremony last Monday. With phrases like “this trophy is also yours”, launched by Donnarumma, or: “I hope to achieve my goals and win trophies”, proclaimed by Messi. Donnarumma made the effort to distill two sentences in French. “Here, it is … (Paris)”, he slipped. Messi has remained in his mother tongue. The time for a salute to the public and Leo eagerly grabbed his Golden Ball to bring it back warm in the locker room.
On the edge of the lawn, the new MotoGP world champion, the French Fabio Quartararo, savored the scene with envy. Even his own world coronation seemed very small against the glory of Messi. “It’s really an achievement, what he achieved, he notes admiringly. My goal is to fight to win a lot of trophies. And if I am told that I will have as many Ballon d’Or world titles as he does, I sign right away! “
