Share

Messi ends Cristiano’s winning run, grabs Ballon d’Or for fifth time

Neymar finished in third with just 7.86 percent.

Advertisement

The annual FIFA Ballon d’Or gala was presented at Zurich’s Kongresshaus.

Martin O’Neill, meanwhile, thought Messi was the best, Eden Hazard, the second best, and Ronaldo, the third best player a year ago.

Guardiola was also on the shortlist Monday against his former teammate Luis Enrique. “He feels loved her and nobody will take him away”, said the president, who added that Barcelona was a club that was “global, respected and also loved and with a mission to entertain”. Ronaldo was the victor in 2013, 2014. “We had an exhilirating year and that fills me with pride”. He and Roma’s Alessandro Florenzi were edged out of the goal of the year prize by Brazilian Wendell Lira.

The FC Barcelona No. 10 was an influential figure in all the five titles claimed in 2015: La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. Argentina played Mexico to a 2-2 tie.

However, Messi topped the poll of journalists and national team coaches and captains ahead of Ronaldo and Neymar and collected the title at a ceremony in Switzerland.

As it usually happens in ceremonies like these, the real stars of the show ended up granting several statements to the press.

Barcelona’s striker Luis Suarez should have been in FIFA’s World XI..

But Messi said: “I’ve always said that I can’t leave Barcelona”. It’s incredible that I’ve now won 5 of these awards. But I also imagine that in his mind he was formulating the idea of triumph at what he most loved: Football.

The Ballon d’Or is voted for by the national team managers and captains of affiliated Federation Internationale de Football Association nations. My idea is I want to finish my career at home, and my home is Barca.

Do you think Messi deserved to win the Ballon d’Or? If I could have something from Messi’s game, I would go for his left foot.

Even previous year, Spanish football expert Guillaume Blagaue reported that Man City were trying to convince Messi to join them.

Advertisement

The Argentine star has a 15-year association with the Catalan club and says he wants it to stay there until the end of his playing days.

Lionel Messi wins his fifth Ballon D’or trophy