Messi’s collection of 8 gold rings each holds a unique significance. On October 31st, superstar Lionel Messi surpassed Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and others to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or. This marks the 8th time Messi has won this prestigious award, a record-breaking achievement. The second spot on the list is held by Cristiano Ronaldo with only 5 wins. In third place are three legends Johan Cruyff, Michelle Platini, and Marco Van Basten, each with 3 wins. After the award ceremony, Messi received even more good news when a sponsor gifted him 8 special gold rings, each with its own meaning.
The memorable photo
Messi had a surprising gift, which led to an eye-catching photo being taken. In the picture, the Argentine superstar is seen resting his chin on his hand, with all fingers except for his two thumbs adorned with rings.
It’s not difficult to see that Messi’s pose is reminiscent of basketball legend Bill Russell. Russell spent 13 years at the top of his game, playing exclusively for the Boston Celtics. He played a key role in the team’s most successful period, winning the championship 11 times between 1957 and 1969.
The recent photo of Messi was inspired by a legendary photo of Bill Russell, who received a special ring for each championship he won, resulting in him owning 11 rings after retirement. In 1996, he took a series of photos with all his rings, which quickly became popular and inspired Messi’s recent photo. The caption under Messi’s ring-wearing photo reads, “The greatest ever, as we have told you again and again.” Each of the eight rings Messi now owns has its own significance, with each one bearing a specific year when he won the Ballon d’Or award. Messi’s first ring, for instance, says “El Beso,” meaning kiss, and has the number 2009, commemorating his victory against Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final, where he celebrated by kissing his shoe after scoring.
In 2010, Messi’s second ring was engraved with the phrase “Apunta Al Cielo”, which means “point to the sky.” The ring was made to honor Messi’s celebratory gesture of pointing to the sky, which he does in memory of his grandmother, Celia.
In 2011, the abbreviation “GOAT” stood for the phrase “greatest of all time”. Messi had an incredibly successful year that year, where he won the Champions League, La Liga, and the Ballon d’Or award.
In 2012, a ring was printed with the number 91 – representing the total number of goals scored by Messi that year. This achievement remains unbeaten to this day.
In 2015, Messi added another piece of jewelry to his collection – a ring engraved with the words “Champions League Triumph”. This was the fifth ring he received and it was a testament to his remarkable achievements in the world of soccer. He and his team, Barca, had an impressive season, winning the treble which included the highly coveted Champions League trophy. This was the most recent Champions League victory for Messi, and it was a momentous occasion that will forever be remembered by fans around the world.
“2019: Achieving the “Golden Shoe” Excellence”
In 2019, the words “Amazing Golden Shoe” were engraved on a ring. This ring symbolizes the last time Messi won the “Golden Shoe” award with 36 goals in La Liga. At present, Messi holds 6 “Golden Shoe” awards, the most in history.
In 2021, Lionel Messi was crowned the “South American Champion” after leading the Argentine national team to victory in the Copa America tournament. This title recognizes Messi’s achievement as the champion of South America and marks his first championship win with the national team.
In 2023, Argentina becomes the World Champion! Messi finally adds the ultimate title to his collection with his eighth ring inscribed with the words “Argentina World Champion”. After completing his trophy collection by winning the golden World Cup in 2022, Messi also snags his eighth Ballon d’Or award.
