Lionel Messi wins FIFA's Ballon d'Or as soccer's player of the year
Lionel Messi has won the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or. The award was announced Monday night in Zurich, and marks a record-setting fifth time that Messi has won the prestigious world player of the year award.
Upon receiving the award, Messi said the following (via FIFA.com):
It is a very special moment for me to be back here on this stage, winning again another Ballon d'Or after being there in the audience watching Cristiano win. It's incredible this is my fifth. It's much more than anything I've dreamed of as a kid. I want to hank everyone who voted for me and I want to hank my team-mates. And lastly, I want to thank football in general for everything it has brought me. Both the bad and the good. Because it has made me learn and grow."
This past year, the Argentine sensation led Barcelona to a rare treble. They won the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and UEFA Champions League in the same season.