Lionel Messi wins FIFA world player award for 5th time

Barcelona star Lionel Messi won a record fifth FIFA Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best player at a ceremony in Zurich on Monday.

FIFA Ballon d’Or victor Lionel Messi of Argentina and Barcelona gestures after the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. Messi helped Barcelona win La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League in 2015.

In the past 5 editions, only Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Cristano Ronaldo of Real Madrid have won the award.

FIFA’s Women’s Player of the Year went to US captain Carli Lloyd.

At first overwhelmed by emotion and unable to speak, Lloyd was loudly applauded as she gave her speech.

Messi finished with over 41 percent of the votes, while Ronaldo had 27 percent.

“I want to thank all of my team-mates and those who voted for me”.

Lloyd got 35.3 percent of the points, well ahead of Germany’s Celia Sasic (12.6 percent) and Aya Miyama of Japan (9.9).

The prize is voted for by national team managers and captains, plus selected journalists named on a list compiled by France Football and Fifa.

She became the third player from the U.S. to scoop the award, after Mia Hamm (2001-02) and Abby Wambach (2012).

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique won the Men’s Coach of the Year award, winning the award over Bayern Munich’s Pep Guardiola and Chile’s Jorge Sampaoli.

Messi also holds the record of the world’s top scorer in one year with 96 goals scored in 2012.

USWNT head coach Jill Ellis was also honored on Monday, bringing the Women’s World Coach of the Year award back to the States.

Luis Enrique would pick up coach of the year, with the Barcelona man having led his side to a famous treble in his first ever season in charge of the club.

The only disappointment of the night for Messi came as he lost out on the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year to Wendell Lira of Goianesia.