Lionel Messi holds the all-time record for the award, having won it six times in total. In addition, he retains the record for most goals and points in a single season (50 and 100, respectively, in 2011-12). In 1968, Eusebio was the first recipient of the award. He went on to win it five more times, making him the most decorated player in history.
Gold has many common uses. It can be worn as jewelry, made into coins, or used in industry. But it's also vital to our lives that we don't touch this precious metal with unclean hands. Only a few elements are considered safe to come in contact with, which is why the lab uses chemicals to test samples.
You can't grow gold — at least not in any significant amount. However, gold can be extracted from some other materials, such as ore. The most common method is hydro-refining, which separates the gold from its surrounding material using heat and pressure.
A unit called an ounce of gold has been defined since 1792: 0.917 kilo grams (kg) of gold. Gold is valued because it is rare and easy to separate out into thin sheets.
Several winners Lionel Messi is the only player to have won the award six times, all while playing for Barcelona. The trophy has been won in successive seasons by Thierry Henry (2003-04 and 2004-05), Messi (2011-12 and 2012-13; 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19), Ronaldo (2013-14 and 2014-15), and Ally McCoist (1991-92 and 1992-93).
Ally McCoist won the award two years in a row. He is the first manager to do so. His aggregate score was calculated based on his team's performance in the 1991-92 and 1992-93 season campaigns.
The most successful coach as of now is Pep Guardiola who has won the award four times with Barcelona. The other three coaches to have won the award are Louis van Gaal, Carlo Ancelotti, and Jose Mourinho.
Ally McCoist won the award before European football became competitive during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 season. That is why he is known as the "Golden Boot". The award should be given each year but since there is no tournament held then it is hard to say who is the best player in the world.
Several winners
| Player | Wins | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | 6 | 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 4 | 2007–08, 2010–11, 2013–14 (shared), 2014–15 |
| Eusébio | 2 | 1967–68, 1972–73 |
| Gerd Müller | 1969–70, 1971–72 |
The trophy was originally presented during the 1982 World Cup in Spain, when Italian Paolo Rossi topped the competition. Prior to then, the tournament's top player was voted on, but no award was awarded. Lionel Messi of Argentina won the award in 2014, after Uruguayan Diego Forlan won it in 2010.
Both Rossi and Forlan were players who had been selected as best on ground by their teams during their respective tournaments. But neither won because they were ranked highest among all players: both did so because they were the best in their groups. And since those groups were used to determine qualification, these are the only two players to have won the Golden Ball.
Nowadays, the Golden Ball is given to the most valuable player of the tournament as determined by FIFA. The award was created in 1958 by French newspaper Le Journal de Dimanche and has been given every year since then (with the exception of 1962 and 1966 when there was no World Cup).
Although they don't have any official status, several other players have been nominated for the award over the years. They include Pele, Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Arjen Robben, Neymar Jr., Ibrahimovic and Luis Suarez.
Messi, Lionel With 474 goals, Lionel Messi is the all-time leading scorer in La Liga history. The Argentine forward from Rosario also holds the record for the fastest goal in La Liga history (45 seconds into his debut match). He's the only player who has been awarded the Pichichi Trophy twice.
Neymar is the second highest scorer in La Liga history and one of the best players in the world. The Brazilian forward from Santos has scored 166 goals in 341 matches since 2014 when he made his debut for Barcelona. He was named the Balon d'Or 2015 winner - Europe's version of the Nobel Prize - for best player.
Toni Duggan has the most golden boots in La Liga history. The English midfielder from South London has scored 59 goals in 337 matches during her career. She played for Chelsea and Manchester City before moving to Spain with Malaga in 2016. Duggan now plays for Lyon.
Jose Antonio Reyes is the top scorer in La Liga history among players who have played less than 100 games. The Spanish striker from Valencia had 56 goals in 99 appearances before injuring his knee in 2005 and being forced to stop playing football until 2009.
Lionel Messi is the only player in history to have received two Golden Balls. Cristiano Ronaldo has received the most trophies (4), including one Golden Ball and three Silver Balls. Brazilian footballers have won the most Golden Balls, with four in total. They also have the most silver and bronze balls, five and four, respectively. Diego Maradona is the only player other than Messi or Ronaldo to have won a Golden Ball.
Messi was the favorite to win the second Golden Ball after winning the first one last year but ended up as runner-up to Luis Suarez. The Argentine superstar has also been named Football's Greatest Player by his peers twice, which is more than any other player has earned.
Suarez has been voted the greatest striker of all time by European journalists and fans. He is the first player from Uruguay and the Liverpool club to win the Golden Ball. Suárez' achievements have also made him the most decorated player in world soccer with four awards triumphs. He is followed by Lionel Messi with three medals.
Kaka won the third Golden Ball in 2009 but did not attend the ceremony due to injury. That year's event was held without a host city being announced yet, so it is possible Kaka could have won again this year if he were able to participate. But since he can't, it's Messi for sure.
Messi has two more Golden Shoes than Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the accolade four times, most recently in 2014-15. Messi has had an injury-plagued start to the 2019–20 season...
Messi has had an injury-plagued start to the 2019–20 season due to a foot problem but is expected to return to action after the international break.
He is the all-time leading scorer for Argentina with 58 goals and is one of the greatest players in world football history.
Messi was born on the 4th of August 1987 in Rosario, Argentina. He is a member of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and is coached by his father Jorge "Goyito" Messi, who is also his agent. The family business was founded by his great-grandfather who invented the first air-conditioning system in Argentina. His son Thiago is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Barcelona.
Messi started playing football at a very young age and within three years he became part of his hometown club, Rosario Central, where he stayed until 2004 when he moved to Barcelona to join up with their youth team.
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