Lionel Messi wins the 2012 Ballon d'Or

By Sportsmail Reporter
Updated: 08:28 GMT, ten January 2012
Lionel Messi was awarded the particular FIFA Ballon d'Or for that third successive year.
Barcelona's 24-year-old Argentina striker beat team-mate Xavi and also Real Madrid's Cristiano
Ronaldo for the title with the world's best player.
Messi, man in the match inside the Champions League final inside 2011, furthermore won your
Primera Division, Spanish Supercopa, UEFA Super Cup and Club world Cup final year.

Top
prize: Argentina's Lionel Messi won the actual Ballon D'Or for the third 12 months in the row
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson as well as Xavi both paid tribute to Messi.
Ferguson said Messi could certainly be judged alongside your greats associated with world football
through your ages, despite the fact that he is even now only 24.

Happy
boy: Messi poses with his award along with Colombian singer Shakira
'Critics have got usually questioned regardless regarding whether players such as Pele from your
50s could play today,' said Ferguson.
'The response to which is excellent players would play in any generation. Lionel Messi could play
inside the 1950s and the existing day, as could Di Stefano, Pele, Maradona, Cruyff since they are all
fantastic players.

Past
and present: Messi can be congratulated through former winners Michel Platini and also Ronaldo
'Lionel Messi without question fits in to that will category.'
Messi's Barcelona team-mate Xavi supported Ferguson's view, saying: 'He's nonetheless young, only
24, along with I think he's going to break all regarding the records that exist in this sport.
'He's going being one of your greatest footballers within the history of the sport.'
Earlier in the evening, Ferguson and also Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola were awarded at the
ceremony.

Special praise: Sir Alex Ferguson was presented with the particular FIFA presidential award
regarding services to football through Sepp Blatter

Star
appeal: Franz Beckenbauer, Blatter, Shakira and Ferguson pose for that cameras
Ferguson was given your FIFA presidential award pertaining to solutions to football, your 70-yea-old Scot has been presented using the award by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Blatter said: 'Elite football is exactly about results as well as winning there will be Get Paid To Draw
Bonus nobody much better at it as compared to him.
'His 1st major success came in Aberdeen within 1983 however what precisely is absolutely
extraordinary is the actual fact that in the globe in which coaches are expected to always be able to
produce instant results or why not be changed, his longevity is really a shining example of exactly
what can be achieved through stability, continuity, investment in development and especially in
believe in as well as confidence within the personality himself.
'He provides earned a knighthood from The Girl Majesty the particular Queen for solutions for the
game. This exceptional character within football may be managing the identical club pertaining to
two-and-a-half decades - is it possible to suppose today?"
Ferguson himself praised Manchester United for sharing his vision with the game.
He said: 'It is surely an honour personally in the twilight associated with my well being and also
very, very much appreciated.

Top
man: Barcelona's Pep Guardiola wins your FIFA world Coach in the year award
'I are already any very, very lucky manager to possess had therefore many great players who have
shared my vision and also passion, and also that's what helps make Manchester United this type of
special club.
'They retain the courage in order to play, the actual courage to use and win. A Person don't usually
win inside football - sometimes anyone shed but we often attempt to win.'

Boy
coming from Brazil: Neymar picks up the actual FIFA Puskas award with regard to very best
objective (below)
Barcelona's Guardiola ended up being named the world's greatest coach within 2011 following
guiding Barcelona in order to 5 trophies such as the particular Champions League, Spanish as well
as Club Globe Cup.
Guardiola won your FIFA honour ahead of Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Ferguson.
Earlier with FIFA's annual awards ceremony, Norio Sasaki won your award for very best coach of
your women's team. He guided Japan for the 2011 Womens's Globe Cup.

The
great and also the great: Wayne Rooney receives the particular FIFA/FIFPro world XI award via
Brazilian legend Pele
Santos FC's Brazilian forward Neymar won your FIFA Puskas award for your greatest goal in the
year.
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney as well as Nemanja Vidic had been each included within the
globe XI dominated by simply Spain-based players.
The FIFPro Globe XI was: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Gerard Pique
(Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona),
Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi (Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real
Madrid), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd).
Rooney said: 'It was obviously a fantastic 12 months and furthermore the highlight ended up being
winning your Premier League for the 19th time, which usually would be a excellent moment for your
club.'

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