Lionel Messi credits colleagues for Ballon d'Or presentation

Published on Tuesday 1 December 2009 21:34

LIONEL Messi hailed his Ballon d'Or success as a triumph for Barcelona and their youth system after the Catalan club dominated the voting for this year's award.

Messi beat last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid into second place in the poll for Europe's footballer of the year, organised by France Football magazine. The 22-year-old, who was firm favourite for the prize having finished second in 2007 and 2008, was keen to share the plaudits around his team-mates, though. Xavi finished third in the voting while his midfield partner Andres Iniesta was fourth, and striker Samuel Eto'o, who was also a key part of the Barca team that won the treble last season before moving to Inter Milan this summer, was fifth.

Messi said: "To have the recognition of being the best player in the world is something special. It makes me happy and proud, but neither was I obsessed with the award, I knew that it could happen and I'm not going to stop now, I have the same desire to do things well. It's also right that they recognised the efforts of Xavi, Andres and also Samuel. It's well deserved that there are so many players from Barca up there.

"It would have been more difficult to achieve it without Iniesta and without Xavi. The prize is for all the group, to the youth system of Barcelona because we have achieved everything with a lot of home-grown players. It's important for the club. I would've voted for any of my team-mates.

"Anyone in our changing room deserved to win it," added Messi, who is the sixth Barca player to take the award but the first for four years – since Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola echoed his player's thoughts after seeing four of his side that won the Champions League, Primera Division and Copa del Rey titles last season finishing in the top five, with Thierry Henry and Yaya Toure also being voted into the top 30. Guardiola said: "It's a good sign. It's impossible to win these prizes if the team isn't winning. It's an individual prize because the player deserves it, but it is also one for the club, for so many unknown people."

Messi recently signed a two-year contract extension with European champions Barca until 2016 – an improved deal which includes a buy-out clause worth 250million (228million). The Argentina international won an unprecedented treble last season as the Catalan side won the Champions League, the Spanish title and the Copa del Rey.

Messi was the top scorer in last year's Champions League with nine goals, including a header in the 2-0 final defeat of Manchester United in Rome. Messi polled 473 votes, more than double the number Real Madrid's Ronaldo totalled (233) and 27 more than the impressive number the Portugal international managed in winning last year's award.

Guardiola added: "Messi is a player at another level. He's so young and he already has league titles, two Champions Leagues, the highest recognition that a player can get...it's very good.

"The difference is in his head, in his competitive soul. When he's happy, things go his way. You need to control his emotional state; if he is stable he will have a long career as a footballer. He has all the attributes, he's tough, skilful, scores goals, is good with his head, understands the game. To be among the best you need to be good at all things and he has that."

Kaka was sixth in the voting, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic was seventh ahead of three English-based players. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Chelsea forward Didier Drogba were eighth and ninth, with Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard completing the top ten.