Eight Ballons d'Or: teacher key

Lionel Messi, grade 10 edition, written for 10th grade. Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or eight times. Read how a boy from Rosario built a career of records, finals and awards.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. How many Ballon d'Or awards has Messi won, as of November 2026?
   • Five
   • Eight (answer)
   • Six
2. Whom did Messi succeed when he won his eighth Ballon d'Or?
   • Kylian Mbappe
   • Sebastian Giovinco
   • Karim Benzema (answer)
3. What was new about Messi's 2023 Ballon d'Or?
   • A player based in MLS won it for the first time (answer)
   • It was won by a goalkeeper
   • It was given in Rosario
4. What share of the votes did Messi get for the 2025 MLS MVP award?
   • 48%
   • 70.43% (answer)
   • 26%
5. Why did Messi not win the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup?
   • He did not play
   • He was injured
   • Mbappe scored eight and he scored seven (answer)
6. Through which season did Messi extend his Inter Miami contract?
   • 2026
   • 2030
   • 2028 (answer)

Words

• succeeding: coming after
• recognition: an honor
• extension: longer deal
• votes: counted choices