Lionel Messi Awarded As Fifa Ballon d’Or

Headlines, Sports | Lily Shengspher | January 11, 2011 10:01 pm

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Lionel Messi Awarded As Fifa Ballon d’Or – The Argentine footballer, Lionel Messi, who is currently plays for FC Barcelona and Argentina national team, has won the inaugural Fifa Ballon d’Or award at a ceremony in Zurich.

Messi plays as forward or winger. He also holds Spanish citizenship, which makes him eligible as an EU player. The 23-year-old won two awards, a merger of the Fifa Player of the Year prize and Ballon d’Or. Messi was awarded ahead of his Barca team-mates Andres Iniesta and Xavi. Messi has also received two different awards last year.

Messi said, “I’m surprised to win but pleased to be here with my friends.” He added, “To win it makes it even more special. I want to share it with all of my friends, my family, all the Barcelonistas and the Argentinians.”

Messi scored a remarkable 60 goals for club and country in 2010 and is widely regarded as the most gifted footballer of his generation.

Jose Mourinho was awarded as the Coach of the Year. The coaching prize is the latest honor in a shining career for Mourinho, who has won league titles in Portugal, England and Italy.

Other winner are Hamit Altintop, who won the Puskas Award for Goal of the Year for his wonder volley when Turkey played against Kazakhastan; Brazilian striker Marta, who won the Women’s Player of the Year for a fifth consecutive time and Germany’s Silvia Neid, who won the Women’s Coach of the Year.

However, many thought Iniesta, who scored the winning goal as Spain beat Netherlands 1-0 in the World Cup final in Johannesburg in July, and Xavi, who was lynchpin of the Spanish side, were favorites to win at glittering ceremony in Switzerland.

The only Spanish winner of either prize was Luis Suarez who won the Ballon d’Or in 1960.

The Ballon d’Or is awarded based on votes cast by journalists from around the globe, as well as coaches and captains of national teams.