For all of the change that has transpired around Lionel Messi in recent months, it's the most welcome development of the bunch that has the 34-year-old Argentine maestro holding the Ballon d'Or trophy once again.
Lost in the chaos surrounding his abrupt Barcelona exit and rapid pivot to PSG was a year in which he performed at a prolific level. It was not a peerless level of prolificacy, though. It took something else that was new—an influential run en route to a major international title—to renew his grasp on global soccer's top individual prize.
Messi previously won the Ballon d'Or in 2009, '10, '11, '12, '15 and '19, years in which his club contributions were the clear foundation for his individual success.