Lionel Messi has won FIFA’s world player of the year award, a.k.a. the Ballon d’Or, for a record fifth time.
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Enrique was named on Monday night as the FIFA World Coach of the Year during the 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or award ceremony, however, Barcelona’s sporting director Robert Fernandez collected the award on behalf of the coach, who could not attend the ceremony due to club duties, reports Efe.
Barcelona forward Neymar has admitted that he hoped to come second behind Lionel Messi in the voting for the 2015 Ballon d’Or.
“I think that there are some players that could be inside three positions, and maybe Neymar can be higher up the next season”, he said. Lloyd, 33, led the United States to victory in the Women’s World Cup in July, memorably scoring a hat-trick in the final.
“It’s a very special moment for me, winning another Ballon d’Or after being in the audience watching Cristiano win the last two years”. Voting was by national team captains and coaches, plus invited journalists, from Federation Internationale de Football Association member countries.
“I want to keep succeeding with the club”, said Messi.
Lloyd beat Aya Miyama of Japan and Celia Sasic of Germany.
The Americans last swept the women’s awards after its 2012 Olympic title, when forward Abby Wambach and Swedish coach Pia Sundhage were rewarded. Messi on the other hand was instrumental all the way to the final of the champions league and the La Liga.
Guardiola was also on the shortlist Monday against his former teammate Luis Enrique.
But it was to be no clean sweep as Brazilian Wendell Lira surprisingly pipped Messi to the Puskas Award.
Outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter, normally a central figure in the ceremony, was not involved after being banned for eight years by the Ethics Committee in December and there was no President’s Award, usually given out by Blatter for outstanding services to the game.
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His latest success denied Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo a third straight win and a fourth overall after the Portuguese striker’s gongs in 2008, 2013 and 2014.
