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Lionel Messi has been named the BBC Sports Personality's World Sport Star of the Year for 2022 after a sensational year in which he led Argentina to a famous World Cup win.
Every year, a panel picks an athlete who has achieved the most notable sporting success on the world stage during the course of the year to be bestowed with the award. Last year, Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore won the award after she became the first female rider to win the Grand National.
Messi scored seven goals in his fifth World Cup campaign as Argentina became world champions for the first time since Diego Maradona led them to glory in 1986. The Paris Saint-Germain star also took home the FIFA Golden Ball award in Qatar, the award given to the tournament's best player.
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The 35-year-old superstar was at his brilliant best in the World Cup final, scoring twice during regulation time before converting from the spot during the shootout to help La Albiceleste beat France 4-2 on penalties.
The Argentine skipper has now added football's biggest trophy to an impressive trophy cabinet that includes the likes of seven Ballon d'Or trophies, four Champions League titles, 10 La Liga titles, a Ligue 1 title and a Copa America triumph.
Speaking after the World Cup win, Messi said:
"It's everyone's dream when they're little. I've been lucky enough to achieve everything and what I was missing, I found here."
He also shut down any talk of international retirement and said that he would like "to continue by experiencing a few more games as a world champion".
National holiday declared in Argentina as Messi and co. celebrate World Cup triumph
Argentina will enjoy a public holiday on Tuesday as the country celebrates their team's historic 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph.
The Argentine Football Association revealed on Twitter that the team will be hosting a celebration at the Obelisk in Buenos Aires so that the entire nation can share their joy with the players. A bank holiday has been declared for the same.
Speaking to the press after the win against France in the final, Messi said:
"I want to be in Argentina to see how crazy it [the celebrations] is. I want them to wait for me, I can't wait to go there and enjoy it with them."
