Leo Messi wins his third Ballon d'Or and Catalan Josep Guardiola is awarded the best manager of 2011

Zurich (FCB).- At the age of 24, Leo Messi equals the record set by the Frenchman Michel Platini after winning three consecutive Ballon d’Or titles (2009, 2010 and 2011). Ronaldo handed the Argentinean the FIFA Ballon d’Or this Monday afternoon in Zurich (Switzerland). Messi won the title thanks to votes placed by captains and managers of all the national sides and journalists from France Football. Furthermore, the legend of Pep Guardiola continues to grow. This Monday, in Zurich, the FC Barcelona boss was named the best manager of 2011. The Catalan was voted the best manager ahead of José Mourinho (Real Madrid), last year’s winner, and Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United). Besides, 5 Barça players are in the FIFA's Best Eleven of the Year: Alves, Piqué, Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi. Two of them are Catalan and four are home grown players.

“Xavi, this Ballon d’Or is yours as well”

With the Ballon d’Or in his hands, Barça Player Leo Messi wanted to share the award “with the people that voted for me and with my teammates.” But he also made a special dedication to Xavi Hernández, a regular to the FIFA Gala in recent years: “We’ve shared this moment for four years. This Ballon d’Or is also yours. Without your help I would not be here.”

The youngest player to ever win three Ballon d’Or titles

Besides equalling Michel Platini as the second player in the history of the Ballon d’Or to win the title three times in a row, Leo Messi also equals Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten, who have also won three Ballon d’Or titles, albeit not consecutively. In 2009, Messi won the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player, awarded by France Football and FIFA respectively. The following year, 2010, both entities decided to combine the award and call it the FIFA Ballon d’Or. Leo Messi was the first winner of the new award,and two other Barça players Iniesta and Xavi finished behind the Argentinean.

Final Ballon d'Or standings

Leo Messi: 47,88%
Cristiano Ronaldo: 21,6%
Xavi: 9,23%

Andrés Iniesta finished fourth and Wayne Rooney, fifth.

Barça coach, Pep Guardiola, awarded the Best Manager of the Year

Josep Guardiola, winner of five titles this season with FC Barcelona in 12 months, beat out last year’s winner, José Mourinho, and Sir Alex Ferguson. Like the FIFA Ballon d’Or, votes were placed by national side managers (33%), national side captains (33%) and the press (33%)

13 out of 16 team titles

Pep Guardiola, who was recently named the world’s best manager by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), picks up yet another acknowledgement to his brilliant career. Guardiola has already won 13 out 16 possible titles with FC Barcelona, 5 of which were won in 2011.

Special dedication for his assistant, Tito Vilanova

Upon receiving the award, Josep Guardiola started by saying that he wanted to share the award with the other two short-listed finalists, Mourinho and Ferguson. He also made special mention of the “thousands of people that have worked for FC Barcelona over the past 100 years.” He went on to say that “it’s an enormous privilege to be part of this group of people.”

However, the most important dedication was for Guardiola’s assistant coach, Tito Vilanova, who has recently gone through surgery: “From the bottom of my heart I want to dedicate this award to Tito Vilanova, my friend, colleague and assistant. Even though you aren’t around much these days, you’re always there. This is for you, kid!”