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Lionel Messi wins 5th Ballon d'Or

by Staff reporter
11 Jan 2016 at 22:06hrs | Views
Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi has won a record 5th Ballon d'Or, beating club teammate, Neymar and Real Madrid superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo to the coveted crown.

Messi was handed the crown at a ceremony that also unveiled the FIFpro World XI, World Coach - Women's Football, World Coach - Men's Football, Fair Play Award, Puskas Award and Women's World Player of the Year winners.

The Argentina magician had 52 goals in 61 games during a trophy laden 2015 season, which saw Barcelona win the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, Copa del Rey, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

United States midfielder, Carli Lloyd, who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final, won the women's award.

Barcelona coach, Luis Enrique won the World Coach of the Year - Men's Football's prize ahead of another Spanish countryman, Pep Guardiola and Jorge Sampaoli, the Argentine coach who earned his spot on the shortlist by guiding Chile to a historic first triumph in the Copa America last year.

Spanish giants, Barcelona and Real Madrid, have four players apiece in the FIFpro World XI, which is dominated by Brazilians in Thiago Silva, Marcelo, Dani Alves and Neymar.

The awards:

Ballon d'Or - Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina)
Women's World Player of the Year - Carli Lloyd (USA)
World Coach Men's Football - Luis Enrique (Barcelona and Spain)
World Coach Women's Football - Jill Ellis (USA)

Puskas Award - Wendell Lira.
FIFpro World XI -

Goalkeeper: (Manuel Neuer -Bayern Munich and Germany)
Defenders: (Dani Alves - Barcelona and Brazil, Sergio Ramos -Real Madrid and Spain, Thiago Silva - PSG and Brazil, Marcelo -Real Madrid and Brazil)
Midfielders: (Andres Iniesta - Barcelona and Spain, Paul Pogba - Juventus and France, Luka Modric - Real Madrid and Croatia)
Forwards: (Lionel Messi - Barcelona and Argentina, Neymar - Barcelona and Brazil, Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid and Portugal)



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