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Featured Image Credit: @gadimov8/Twitter
Topics: Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain
Daniel Marland
Topics: Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain
Footage of Lionel Messi looking as casual as anything during FIFA's 'The Best' Awards on Monday evening has gone viral.
The Paris Saint-Germain superstar was made to settle for second place as Robert Lewandowski was named Best Men's Player for a second year in a row.
Messi and other nominees appeared via video call - but you wouldn't guess he was at an award ceremony going off his demeanour.
Cameras panned to the 34-year-old, decked out in a plain white t-shirt, fiddling with his camera to try and find the best possible angle.
Every other player or coach looked to have a professional set-up with a tripod and proper lighting... but not Messi.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner did away with fancy suits and cocktail bars, instead opting to talk to people off camera and plaster the biggest grin on his face.
All that was missing was Messi asking if everyone could hear him on the other side. Great stuff.
Fans have reacted to the footage and they're also loving his antics.
One said: "You can tell he's just there for the vibes."
Another put: "That’s me when I wake up late for my online class and enter the Zoom on my phone."
While a third added: "This man couldn’t care less about this award and it shows lmaooooo."
Lewandowski retained the award ahead of Messi and Mohamed Salah after scoring 69 goals last year between Bayern Munich and Poland respectively.
Many believed Lewandowski deserved to win the Ballon d'Or thanks to his stunning year, following on from 2020 when he also won the Champions League.
He also broke Gerd Muller's 49-year record of most goals in a calendar year in the Bundesliga.
The 33-year-old said: "Thank you very much. I am very honoured to win this trophy and feel proud. I know it belongs to my team-mates and coaches.
"We all work hard to win the games. It is special to work with these guys around me.
"I never dreamed about breaking this record [of Gerd Muller's]. To score 41 in 29 games - if you ask me that a few years ago if it is possible I would tell you it is impossible. I also say to him thank you.
"He set so many records and to me it was always the next step to try and break it."