Kaka welcomes Lionel Messi to ‘Triple Crown’ club

Brazil legend Kaka welcomed Lionel Messi to the “Triple Crown Club,” an elite group of players who have won the World Cup, the Champions League and at least one Ballon d’Or. The Argentine now has the World Cup along with 7 Ballon d’Ors and 4 Champions League winner’s medals. “Welcome to the club, Leo Messi,” Kaka had posted in his Instagram story as reported SPORTbible.
The PSG superstar scored 2 goals in the World Cup final, one from penalty and one from open play before club teammate Kylian Mbappe scored a hattrick to drag the match to penalties with the score tied at 3-3. Argentina would ultimately go on to win the match and the cup after defating the French 4-2 in the shootout.
Messi became the latest to join that l which has the likes of Sir Bob Charlton, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Paolo Rossi, Zinedine Zidane, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka himself.
“Welcome to the club, Leo Messi,” Kaka had posted in his Instagram story. (Credit: Instagram)
Charlton won the World Cup with England in 1966, the 1968 European Cup with Manchester United and the 1966 Ballon d’Or while Beckenbauer won the World Cup in 1974, has three European Cups with Bayern Munich and was named Ballon d’Or winner in 1972 and 1976. Fellow German Gerd Muller won the World Cup in 1974 and had clinched European Cups from 1974 to 1976 and the Ballon d’Or in 1970.
Paolo Rossi won the 1982 World Cup, the 1985 European Cup and the Ballon d’Or in 1982 while Zinedine Zidane won the 1998 World Cup, the Champions League in 2002 and the Ballon d’Or in 1998.
The Brazilians Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Kaka were part of the 2002 World Cup winning squad of Brazil. Kaka won the Champions League in 2007 as well as the Ballon d’Or in the same year while Ronaldinho won the Ballon d’Or in 2005 and the Champions League in 2006. Rivaldo won the Ballon d’Or in 1999 and the Champions League in 2003.