Lionel Messi wins Fifa Ballon d’Or award

Argentine football great Lionel Messi won the inaugural Fifa Ballon d’Or award, ahead of his Barcelona mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

Twenty-three-year-old Messi won the prize – a merger of the Fifa Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or – at a ceremony here on Monday.

” I am surprised to win but pleased to be here with my friends,” said Messi, who won the two separate awards last year.

“To win it makes it even more special. I want to share it with all of my friends, my family, all the Barcelonistas and the Argentinians.”

Jose Mourinho, who won an unprecedented Treble with Inter Milan in 2010, was named the Coach of the Year.

Hamit Altintop won the Puskas Award for Goal of the Year for his wonder volley when Turkey played Kazakhstan.

Brazilian striker Marta won the Women’s Player of the Year for a fifth consecutive time and Germany’s Silvia Neid won the Women’s Coach of the Year.

The last player to win the Ballon d’Or award twice in a row was Dutch striker Marco van Basten in 1988 and 1989, while Messi’s former Barca colleague Ronaldinho won the Fifa prize in 2004 and 2005.

The Ballon d’Or is awarded based on votes cast by journalists from around the world, as well as coaches and captains of national teams.