Messi sets new record after winning 5th FIFA Golden Ball
Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi has won a record fifth FIFA Ballon d'Or award for the world's best player of the year.
At a Monday ceremony in the Swiss city of Zurich, the Argentinean ace dethroned three-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo and added to his four successive awards from 2009 to 2012 to cement his place as the world's best player.
Messi, 28, secured nearly 41 percent of the votes by journalists and national team coaches and captains, with Real Madrid forward Ronaldo (28 percent) and Barca's Neymar (eight percent) coming second and third respectively.
"It's a very special moment for me to be back here on this stage, winning again another Ballon d'Or after the two years in which Cristiano won it," Messi said, adding, "It is incredible that it's my fifth. This Ballon d'Or means more than I could have ever dreamed of as a child."
Messi helped Barcelona win the treble of Champions League, La Liga and Spanish Cup last season, plus the Club World Cup last month. He finished last year with 52 goals and 26 assists in 61 games.
Barcelona's Luis Enrique won the coach of the year award, edging out Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola and Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli.
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