Lionel Messi wins FIFA Ballon d'Or



Messi claims World Player of the Year award for second straight year

Lionel Messi was named World Player of the Year for the second straight year Monday, pipping Barcelona teammates Andres Iniesta and Xavi to the coveted FIFA Ballon d'Or.

Argentina star Messi is the first football star to achieve the feat since Brazil's Ronaldinho claimed the honor in 2004 and 2005.

23-year-old Messi starred as Barcelona retained Spain's La Liga title and has continua ed his goal scoring heroics as they lead the standings this season.

Iniesta and Xavi share a midfield partnership for the Catalan giants and both played a key role as Spain won the World Cup, with Iniesta scoring the only goal of the final as they beat the Dutch 1-0.

Messi said he had been surprised to win the award again.

"To tell you the truth, I did not expect to win today, to win it makes a very special day," he told the audience at the gala ceremony in Zurich, which was hosted by CNN's Pedro Pinto.

This year was the first since the FIFA World Player of the Year award amalgamated with the Ballon d'Or, which was started by France Football Magazine in 1956.

Earlier, Jose Mourinho was named coach of the year for leading Inter Milan to an historic treble of Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup.

Have your say on Blatter's decisions

Mourinho, who took charge of Real Madrid in the summer, beat off the challenge of Vincente Del Bosque, Spain's World Cup coach, and Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.

Brazilian Marta took the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year for the fifth time.

Turkish international Hamit Altintop won the FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of 2010, his superb volleyed strike ending the hopes of part-time player Matty Burrows of Glentoran.

Part-timer took on the elite of world football

Burrows, whose spectacular back-flicked volley became a big hit on You Tube, was mixing it with the elite of world football, among them Messi, from a selection of 10 spectacular goals.
But football fans picked Altintop's goal for his country in a European Championship qualifier against Kazakhstan.

Source : cnn.com

Lionel Messi wins FIFA world player award


ZURICH — Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi won FIFA's Ballon d'Or award on Monday as the world's best player of 2010.
Messi won the trophy for a second straight year, finishing ahead of Barcelona teammates Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.

"It's a very special day for me," Messi said through a translator on receiving the award at a gala ceremony in FIFA's home city.

The 23-year-old Messi helped an exciting Barcelona team retain its Spanish league title and lead the standings again this season.

Messi's trademark tricky play was often mesmerizing and he scored 58 goals for the Catalan club in 2010. However, he had a disappointing World Cup in South Africa, failing to score. Iniesta and Xavi, by comparison, starred for eventual winner Spain.

"I didn't expect to win it today," Messi said. "Already it's a source of happiness to be here with my friends and even more to win it."

Messi obtained 22.65 percent of the votes cast by coaches and captains of national teams plus invited journalists. The original shortlist featured 23 players.

Andres Iniesta finished second with 17.36 percent and Xavi received 16.48 percent to finish third for the second straight year.

All three candidates learned their craft at Barcelona's La Masia youth academy.

Barcelona has now provided eight winners in the 20-year history of the FIFA honor. Messi follows former Brazilian internationals Romario (1994), Ronaldo (1996 and '97), Rivaldo (1999) and Ronaldinho (2004 and '05).

The award was renamed this year after FIFA merged its world player award with the Ballon d'Or trophy, which had been presented to the best player in Europe by France Football magazine since 1956.

Earlier, Jose Mourinho won the men's coach award for leading Inter Milan to a treble including the Champions League.

Mourinho beat World Cup-winning Spain coach Vicente del Bosque and Pep Guardiola of Barcelona to the inaugural honor. The Portuguese coach guided Inter to the Italian league and cup double before leaving to join Real Madrid.

Brazil forward Marta won the best women's player award for a fifth straight year, defeating Germany internationals Birgit Prinz and Kosovo-born Lira Bajramaj.

Marta was rewarded for her MVP season with United States women's professional league champion Gold Pride.

Silvia Neid won the inaugural women's coaching award for her work with the Germany national team, which defends its World Cup title at home in July. Also shortlisted were Maren Meinert, whose Germany Under-20 team was world champion in July, and Pia Sundhage, the Swedish coach of the United States' Olympic champions.


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January 11, 2011 at 7:31 AM

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