Lionel Messi Bags Ballon d'Or For The Fifth Time, Outshines Ronaldo & Neymar

Argentine footballer and FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi has once again bagged the Ballon d'Or award for the world's best player.

BBC noted that this is the fifth time for the 28-year-old soccer player to receive such recognition. It added that he received 41.33 percent of the votes, besting worthy competitors Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and teammate Neymar.

Last year, Messi was able to play in 61 games where he made 52 goals and 26 assists.

A similar Daily Mail report added that Messi was successful in reclaiming his crown from Ronaldo, who won last year. The Argentine player also bagged the award in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

It added that when Messi was announced as the winner and went up onstage, his 3-year-old son, Thiago, was seen holding up his five fingers to show the times his dad was given the same award.

"It is a very special moment for me to be back on this stage having watched Cristiano (Ronaldo) win it for the last two years. It is incredible that it is my fifth Ballon d'Or, it is more than anything I could have dreamed of when I was a kid," the FC Barcelona star said after accepting the award.

He also expressed gratitude to his teammates, and to the sport for teaching him a lot of things.

On the other hand, ESPN FC revealed that Messi has made it clear that he will end his career at Barcelona, despite transfer rumors. He noted that he will finish where his career started.

"I've always said that I don't want to leave Barcelona. It's always the same response. My idea is I want to finish my career at home, and my home is Barca," Messi added.

This statement just ended the hopes of other clubs wanting to get him in the future, like Manchester City and Chelsea.

As for the reason why he chose Messi for this year's Ballon D'Or, judge Craig Foster explained that the criteria for choosing a great player for the award is how this individual conducts himself as the ambassador of the game.

"I love him also because of his size. There is great bravery and physical strength, but to see a pint sized genius outwit, outpace and outplay thousands of better physical specimens, athletes of amazing dexterity and genetic gifts, is to see the very spirit of the game," Foster said of Messi.

He noted that the Ballon d'Or winner, who stands at 5' 7", did not let his size get in the way of his dreams of becoming a great football player.