Lautaro Martinez wins unique award, yet to be won by Lionel Messi

Argentine legend Lionel Messi's pursuit of the prestigious Golden Foot award extends after narrowly missing out this time.  Established in 2003, the Golden Foot Award honours players aged 27 and older with the unique distinction that it can only be awarded once in a player’s career. 

Winners of this esteemed accolade are traditionally invited to leave their footprints on the 'Champions Promenade' in Monaco, celebrating their contributions to the sport. Throughout the years, notable players such as Mohamed Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski, and Ronaldinho have each claimed the prestigious award. 

The wait to win the Golden Foot extends for Lionel Messi 

This year, many fans and analysts believed that it might finally be Lionel Messi's opportunity to win the Golden Foot, as he was nominated alongside a talented roster of players, including Marco Verratti, Neymar, Virgil van Dijk, Thomas Muller, Harry Kane, Kevin De Bruyne, Karim Benzema, Antoine Griezmann, and Lautaro Martinez. This diverse group of nominees highlights the depth of talent in the sport and adds to the excitement surrounding the award.

The Argentine has been in outstanding form, netting 22 goals and providing 13 assists in just 23 matches for Inter Miami. 

Despite his impressive performance, the 37-year-old's pursuit of the Golden Foot remains unfulfilled, as the winner was declared on Friday morning.

Lautaro Martinez bagged the award

Messi’s Argentina teammate and Inter Milan standout, Martinez, has bagged the title of the 2024 Golden Foot winner.

Martinez had a commendable performance in the 23/24 season, netting 27 goals and providing seven assists in 44 matches across all competitions. This season, he has continued to showcase his talent, with five goals and four assists in just 12 games.

Recently, Martinez ranked seventh in the 2024 Ballon d’Or standings, however he was hopeful for a higher placement.

“To be honest, I was expecting more than 7th position at the Ballon d’Or. Sometimes at these awards they are unfair. I will be working hard to improve that position.” he said.