Ballon d'Or 2021 LIVE Updates: Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo in top 8

Right then, I'm off to bask in all the Ballon d'Or glory and get some much-needed shut-eye after what's been an eventful day. There are normal days at work, and then there are days like this. Whatever said and done, I wouldn't swap it for anything, as we all witnessed football history today.

Until next time, this is Vishal Subramanian signing off! The ceremony was long, but I tried my best to bring you all the live coverage on time. See you next time, Tata!

What a surreal moment for Leo Messi and his family. It's been a tough year for the little magician, but he's come out on top against a goal-machine in Robert Lewandowski to win the Ballon d'Or yet again. It's hard to find the right words for moments like this, but he genuinely is a once-in-a-lifetime kinda player.

Genius.

When your dad wins an other Ballon d'Or 🙌#ballondor pic.twitter.com/UWKir71mX5
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

LIONEL MESSI WINS HIS SEVENTH BALLON D’OR 🐐🏆🇦🇷#BallonDor2021 #BallondOr pic.twitter.com/Cerxn7cxwY
— Sportskeeda Football (@skworldfootball) November 29, 2021

Lionel Messi: It's been an honour to compete with Robert Lewandowski for the Ballon d'Or, he deserved to win the award last year.

This thread needs an update… https://t.co/UHAXwxCTgg #ballondor
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

What an iconic moment, we're witnessing football history. A staggering SEVENTH Ballon d'Or for the great man, WOW.

Commiserations to Robert Lewandowski, what an unbelievable year he's had too. If he had won it, he'd have been just as worthy.

LIONELLLLLLLLLLLLLL ANDRES MESSSSIIIIIII WINS THE 2021 BALLON D'OR!!!!!!!!!!

UPDATE: CHELSEA FC IS THE CLUB OF THE YEAR

Right then, ever so close to finding out the winner of the 2021 Ballon d'Or.

Ladies and gents, it's officially squeaky-bum time...

IT'S LIONEL MESSI VS ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI FOR THE 2021 BALLON D'OR WINNER!

JORGINHO FINISHES 3rd IN THE 2021 EDITION OF THE BALLON D'OR!

UPDATE: N'GOLO KANTE IS RANKED 5TH ON THE 2021 BALLON D'OR! KARIM BENZEMA IS 4TH!

AND WE'RE BACK FOR THE FINAL PART OF THE 2021 BALLON D'OR CEREMONY!

Right then, I'm recharged and ready to go after a little break.

Lionel Messi. Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema. N'Golo Kante. Jorginho.

Closer and closer to history...

There goes another short break, damn you France Football! Just when we got to the interesting part.

This is more than football.

Thanks @simonkjaer1989 for being you! ❤️#ballondor pic.twitter.com/Z84TCbiafE
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

What we know so far:

Kopa Trophy - Pedri
France Football Striker of the Season - Robert Lewandowski
2021 Women's Ballon d'Or - Alexia Putellas
Yashin Trophy - Gianluigi Donnarumma

(30-6) Ballon d'Or Rankings: 29: César Azpilicueta and Luka Modric
26: Nicolo Barella, Rúben Dias and Gerard Moreno
25: Phil Foden
24: Pedri
23: Harry Kane
21: Bruno Fernandes
21: Lautaro Martínez
20: Riyad Mahrez
19: Mason Mount
18: Simon Kjaer
17: Luis Súarez
16: Neymar
15: Raheem Sterling
14: Leonardo Bonucci
13: Giorgio Chiellini
12: Romelu Lukaku
11: Erling Haaland
10: Gianluigi Donnarumma
9: Kylian Mbappe
8: Kevin de Bruyne
7: Mohamed Salah
6: Cristiano Ronaldo

Only the top five left, now...

The 2021 #tropheeyachine is... @gigiodonna1 🇪🇸 of @PSG_inside ! #ballondor" pic.twitter.com/IVGmTkEvr7
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

UPDATE: GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA WINS THE 2021 YASHIN TROPHY!

UPDATE: Kevin de Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo have been ranked 8th, 7th and 6th on the 2021 Ballon d'Or respectively!

Deserved!!! Massive Congratulations @alexiaputellas 👏👏👏 https://t.co/QZvGMImG5h
— Toni Duggan (@toniduggan) November 29, 2021

Alexia Putellas is your 2021 Women's #ballondor! pic.twitter.com/DJLB2YNObL
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

The 2021 Women's #ballondor is... @alexiaputellas 🇪🇸 of @FCBfemeni ! pic.twitter.com/cwSMaSKw2U
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

ALEXIA PUTELLAS WINS THE 2021 WOMEN'S BALLON D'OR!

Kylian Mbappe is currently on the stage to announce the winner of the 2021 Women's Ballon d'Or...

Kylian Mbappe's Ballon d'Or record is seriously impressive, hard to believe he's still only 22...

Kylian Mbappé's historical Ballon D'Or Rankings (Top 10):

2017: 7th
2018: 4th
2019: 6th
2021: 9th
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) November 29, 2021

Wow, so Cristiano Ronaldo is set to finish in the top 8 ahead of the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and a few others. Interesting...

UPDATE: Kylian Mbappe is ranked 9th on the 2021 Ballon d'Or!

UPDATE: Gianluigi Donnarumma is ranked 10th on the 2021 Ballon d'Or!

One smile means everything... 😍 #ballondor pic.twitter.com/W8U7lPinlx
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

So, as things stand today, it's Robert Lewandowski 1, Lionel Messi 0.

Of course, this isn't the trophy that matters, but the Bayern Munich goal machine becomes the first-ever winner of France Football's Striker of the Season award.

Robert Lewandowski gets the Striker of the Year award ! #BallonDor 🇵🇱
— PSGhub (@PSGhub) November 29, 2021

ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI IS THE 2021 STRIKER OF THE YEAR!

After handing over the Kopa Trophy to Pedri, the ceremony has been paused for a brief moment to pay homage to Diego Maradona and Gerd Muller - two legends of the game who unfortunately passed away in the past 12 months or so.

📸 - Leo Messi during Pedri’s speech, in which he thanked Messi for helping him win it. pic.twitter.com/j5lIPsLWbU
— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) November 29, 2021

And the 2021 #tropheekopa is... @Pedri of @FCBarcelona_es !#ballondor pic.twitter.com/Bb84xEqUBY
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

PEDRI WINS THE 2021 KOPA TROPHY AND GETS THE AWARD FROM FABIO CANNAVARO!

Jude Bellingham, Mason Greenwood, Nuno Mendes, Jamal Musiala and Pedri have all been nominated for the Kopa Trophy!

The Ballon d’Or trophees are brought by Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon from @AlpineF1Team!

🧭 48°51'27.3"N 2°20'49.4"E
📍Theatre du Châtelet
🔸@alpinecarsFR pic.twitter.com/u7IPR0koi5
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

WOW! In a rather unexpected crossover, F1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon have arrived at the Ballon d'Or ceremony to deliver the trophies. It was quite the entrance, I won't lie!

Mbappé: « It's always special… all the best players in the world are here. I'm still a kid, happy to see the players, the legends. » #BallonDor 🇫🇷
— PSGhub (@PSGhub) November 29, 2021

Bayern Munich icon Oliver Kahn is also in attendance today!

Former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and French football journalist Sandy Heribert will be our hosts for the evening. What a lovely setting for the occasion, it has to be said!

The ceremony is about to start! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/gQjY0svX9e
— Ballon d'Or #ballondor (@francefootball) November 29, 2021

AND THE CEREMONY IS UP AND RUNNING IN FRANCE!

Fasten your seatbelts, ladies and gents, the next hour and a half or so is going to be incredible.

UPDATE: The Ballon d'Or trophy has finally reached the Theatre de Chatelet!

Tom Holland and Zendaya arrive at the #BallonDor Awards pic.twitter.com/EoixclyKst
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) November 29, 2021

Ballon d'Or 2021 LIVE Updates: Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo in top 8

Ballon d'Or 2021 LIVE Updates: Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski set to battle it out for the award