-
Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates -
Related
Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi was awarded the
2009 Ballon D'Or, French magazine France Football said on its
website (
www.francefootball.fr) on
Tuesday.
The 22-year-old became the first Ballon D'Or winner from Argentina,
eclipsing runner-up and last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo by a
record 240-point margin.
The award's 96 jurors gave Messi 473 points out of a possible 480,
a near unanimous verdict, the magazine said.
The win caps a brilliant year for the soft-spoken left-footer, who
helped Barcelona to a Champions League title with nine goals, as
well as bagging six in the King's Cup and 23 in the league.
The gong, formerly known as the European Footballer of the Year
award, was voted on by journalists from across the world.
Messi makes his mark, quietly but effectively
The transfer of the title of European Player of the Year
effectively took place in the Champions League final last May when
Lionel Messi eclipsed the 2008 winner Cristiano
Ronaldo.
The Argentina forward scored Barcelona's second goal, with a rare
header, putting the seal on a convincing 2-0 victory over
Manchester United, and confirmed his place as the tournament's top
scorer with nine goals.
His coach Pep Guardiola, having completed an unprecedented treble
of La Liga, King's Cup and Champions League titles, said after the
final in Rome: "I think he is the best player and we didn't need to
win today to know he is the best."
Off the field, the comparison between Ronaldo and Messi could not
be more different. Messi is no strutting superstar with film star
looks.
Until he cut his hair last year he resembled a disaffected teenager
shuffling about with hunched shoulders, lank locks and a mumbling
delivery.
But on the pitch they share many qualities, both tagged as wingers
with electric pace and an eye for goal.
Messi usually plays on the right flank even though he is
left-footed, and his scampering runs off the wing and cutting
across the area to shoot or play-in a team mate, have become a
trademark of Barcelona's eye-catching attacking style.
Critics who said Messi was selfish and did not link up well with
his team mates were silenced once and for all last year.
The arrival of dynamic right back Daniel Alves at Barcelona freed
up Messi from his wing duties, allowing him to move deeper into
midfield.
Top Scorer
He was able to lose his markers, link up better with Barca's
orchestrators Xavi and Andres Iniesta, and burst through the centre
on to goal as well.
On top of the nine he scored in Europe, he bagged six in the King's
Cup including one in the 4-1 final victory over Athletic Bilbao,
and 23 in the league, to finish as Barca's top scorer with a total
of 38.
Messi, whose style is usually likened to that of his compatriot and
national team manager Diego Maradona, is a product of the Barca
youth system and debuted under Frank Rijkaard aged only 16.
He is still only 22 but has amassed three La Liga titles, two
European Cups and a King's Cup at club level, and while he has
suffered criticism of late for failing to produce his club form
with Argentina, he has won awards on the international stage as
well.
He helped Argentina win the Under-20 World Cup in 2005, finishing
as top scorer in the tournament, and won gold with the national
team at the Beijing Olympics last year.
The FIFA World Player of the Year award could soon be sitting on
his trophy-laden mantelpiece as well.
