Which club did Messi play for when he won his first Ballon d'Or?

Messi played for Barcelona when he won his first Ballon d’Or. France Football announced him as the 2009 Ballon d’Or winner on 1 December 2009, after a remarkable season in which Barcelona won the Copa del Rey, La Liga and UEFA Champions League.

At 22, Messi became the first Barcelona player to win the award since Ronaldinho in 2005. He also became the first Argentine-born winner since Omar Sívori, although Sívori had been recognised as an Italian player by the time of his 1961 victory. Messi’s win reflected both his individual performances and Barcelona’s historic team success.

Barcelona completed the first treble in Spanish football during the 2008–09 season, then won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup later in 2009. Messi scored in the Champions League final against Manchester United and in the Club World Cup final against Estudiantes. He won the award ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.