Lionel Messi wins fifth Ballon d’Or award

“Asked what he would choose between his plethora of Ballon d’Or awards and a World Cup, the 28-year-old said: The World Cup, of course”.

Messi ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s two-year hold on the Ballon d’Or trophy on Monday to lift soccer’s top individual honor.

“It’s a very special moment for me”, Messi said.

Messi’s goals against the likes of Athletic Bilbao and in the Champions League semi-final and against Bayern Munich were among his biggest contributions, while he notched a total of 52 goals for club and country across the year. The honor comes in the wake of a season in which he was Barcelona‘s talisman as they won the treble of the Champion League, La Liga and Copa del Rey.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Last year’s victor was no slouch in 2015, topping La Liga’s scoring list with a personal best 48 goals. That’s what will hurt Ronaldo’s case to claim his third consecutive Ballon d’Or, and could be why he actually slips down to third in voting behind Messi and Neymar.

Carli Lloyd scored a hat-trick in that match and that was enough to help her land the Federation Internationale de Football Association women’s player of the year gong.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony started in 2010 after it was rebranded from the former name “World Footballer of the year”.

Men’s coach of the year – Luis Enrique (Barcelona).

Will be Cristiano Ronaldo announced as Ballon d’Or victor or will Messi get his fifth?

She had also previously scored the winning goals for the U.S. in the Olympic Games finals of 2008 and 2012. Messi may have had to overcome injury in order to lift the award yet again, but he’s been phenomenal since his return from the sidelines. Messi’s third goal came after Neymar struck the post and the ball rebounded to Messi inside the area for his ninth league goal.

Messi revealed that in his opinion Barcelona are a better team since the arrival of Turan and it is hard to argue with the stats.

Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli completes the trio after the Argentine led La Roja to their first-ever Copa America title, which they won at home after beating Argentina on penalties in the final.

The World Cup-winning United States team is set to dominate the women’s honors.