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TOP OF GAME: Lionel Messi of Barcelona during the Press Conference for Fifa Ballon d'Or and World Coach of the Year for Men's Football in Zurich, Switzerland yesterday. Photo: Getty Images

 I want to share it with the people who helped me, my teammates and coach 

Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo was second in the vote for the 2011 Fifa Ballon D'Or and Messi's Barcelona team mate Xavi third.

Messi, who inspired his Spanish team to win the Champions League, La Liga and Club World Cup, was also first last year when the award was created by joining together the separate annual prizes handed out by Fifa and France Football magazine.

"To win it three times running is a very big honour," Messi, who also won both old awards in 2009, told the audience after being presented with the trophy by former Brazil striker Ronaldo a three-time World Player of the Year.

"I want to share it with the people who helped me, my teammates and coach. This is very special, I want to divide it with my teammate Xavi."

No player has previously won the Fifa award three times in a row, although Michel Platini claimed the France Football prize three years in succession in the 1980s.

Barcelona's Pep Guardiola won the coach's award ahead of Manchester United's Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho of Real Madrid.

Ferguson took the Fifa presidential award for outstanding service to the sport.

Brazil and Santos forward Neymar won the award for the goal of the year, a stunning effort in a Brazilian championship match against Flamengo.

Messi swept home with 47,88% votes in the survey among national team coaches, captains and selected media.

Ronaldo took 21,6% and Xavi 9,23%.

"I would like to share this award with Mourinho and Ferguson and all the coaches around the world who love this game," Guardiola said. Blatter heaped praise on Ferguson before handing him his prize.

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Sat May 25 04:38:11 SAST 2013 ::

Jan 10, 2012

maneater

MESSILESS.................... .......we going to realise in 20 years time that we lived in an era of the greatest footballer of all time.
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Jan 10, 2012

LIKHUWA

good for him (messie messie) but this one was for CR7 and i am 100% sure. for Sir. Alex F wel done my man
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Jan 10, 2012

KimiRaikonnen

Maneater,

I agree with you, we're living in an era of the greatest footballer of alltime, we're lucky mfowethu and as for Ronaldo the sooner he realises that football is a team sport the better. He's selfish, arrogant, self centred and whenever Real Madrid play Barcelona he's always outclassed by Lapulga Atomica(Lionel Messi)
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Jan 10, 2012

MabhebezaEC!

Untouchable Messi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Jan 10, 2012

KasiKid

Congrats to Messi but I feel Xavi deserved the award, he is an exceptional midfielder, the best in the world...

It's a pity this award is mostly based on players who score goals rather than players who contributes...

Surely there is no Messi without players like Xavi...
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Jan 10, 2012

hindsight

well done messi, but i think now you should have a slight dip in form so that other children can have a fair chance. Play nice now.
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Jan 10, 2012

DJWinner

We are blessed to live in an era of this boy, What a fantastic player! Ronaldo admitted. He will win it again next year to make it four in a row. Are they still comparing him to Rooney? he he he...Where is English people now?

I couldn't stop laughing last night when the so called No.1 lig had only 2 players to make the world's best 11. Laliga had 9 players, so people must use the common sense that which lig is the bestest in the world. You gotta love Laliga.....England must sit down.
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Jan 10, 2012

CHAMP-Marapo-a-baswi

EL Messiah, the God of football.....he makes very tough decisions look very very easy...this guy will rule football until the fake Ronaldo retires.

You deserve it boi and the bad news for the fake Ronaldo is that La pulca Atomica is still young and is going to masturbate the stupid arrogant Madrifools pigs until jesus comes back to planet earth.

As for the Mid Maestro Xavi, you are the conductor, the pain and drill of football...but unfortunately you lived in the era of Messi. We love you brother, keep working hard.


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Jan 10, 2012

skopa27

enklek hu said that nymer goal is the best in the world..even majin buu macCathy's goal agaist swallows was even better, i think rooney's goal should have taken that one
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Jan 10, 2012

Leonidusreturns

Messi is the greatest of this generation. He can only be considered the greatest ever if he can win the World Cup with Argentina.
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