KABUL: (MEP) Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or trophy on Monday as the world’s best player in 2015.
Barcelona and Argentina star Messi earned his record-extending fifth after being runner-up to his great rival for the past two years.
At ceremony in the Swiss city of Zurich, the Argentinean world-class 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.
“It’s a very special moment for me to be back here on the stage,” Messi said in Spanish in his acceptance speech, “after being there in the audience watching Cristiano win.”
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.
As usual, Argentina captain Messi and Portugal captain Ronaldo ignored each other on their own ballot papers. Messi voted for three Barcelona teammates and Ronaldo listed three Madrid colleagues. However, Portugal coach Fernando Santos did put Messi second to Ronaldo.
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.
FIFA dedicated its Fair Play Award to “clubs and associations helping refugees.”
