Leo Messi, the fifth: Return of the king

In fact, Messi can not even be compared with former Barcelona stylish player Ronaldinho who used to play with a wide smile on his face and steered his country to win the World Cup. Lionel Messi won the title with 41.33% of all votes ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (27.76%) and Neymar (7.86%).

(Which is ironic, since soccer is viewed by many as the ultimate team sport.) Yet when one considers how teams, spurred by their own marketing motives, have recently created financial incentives for players to win the annual prize, this sudden hyper-need to win the Ballon d’Or makes sense (for example, the Brazilian Neymar, one of the three finalists at this year’s gala in Zurich, has it stated in his contract with FC Barcelona that the club will pay him almost half a million dollars if he ever wins the distinct prize under their watch).

“It’s incredible that it’s my fifth”.

“I’ve spoken to my players but nothing happened the other day that can’t happen again, I’ve seen this kind of game many times in the past”.

Rooney’s predecessor as England skipper, Steven Gerrard, said he thinks Messi is the best to have played the game.

“We have always had a good relationship”, said Messi about his rivalry with Ronaldo. “On our part, there has always been admiration and respect”.

Messi and his Argentina teammates came close to winning the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 but were beaten 1-0 by Germany in the final. Lloyd scored six goals in the World Cup which was won by the U.S.

The 28-year-old forward was voted as the world’s greatest player for another year after starring in Barcelona’s treble-winning campaign last season.

He beat Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola, who was second, and Chile’s Copa America-winning coach Jorge Sampaoli to the award.

O’Neill put Ronaldo in third spot behind Messi and the Belgian star with Keane going for Messi as his number two and Neymar as number three.