Messi wins 3rd straight FIFA player award

Lionel Messi became the first person to win FIFA men’s player of the year three years in a row.

The Argentine forward, who led Barcelona to the Champions League title, was voted the FIFA Golden Ball Award on Monday, beating out Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona teammate Xavi Hernandez in voting by national team coaches and captains plus selected reporters.

The only other three-time winners are Ronaldo (1996-97 and 2002) and Zinedine Zidane (1998, 2000 and 2003). The FIFA award was renamed last year, when it merged with France Football’s Golden Ball

Messi scored 55 goals in 2011 for Barcelona, which won its third Champions League title in six seasons, and he had four goals for Argentina’s national team.

Japan’s Homare Sawa won women’s player of the year, ending Marta’s steak of five in a row.

Pep Guardiola was voted FIFA men’s coach of the year after guiding Barcelona to five trophies, including the Champions League, Spanish league and the Club World Cup. Guardiola beat out Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho, the inaugural winner last year, and Alex Ferguson of Manchester United.

Norio Sasaki won the award for best coach of a women’s team after leading Japan to the Women’s World Cup title. Pia Sundhage of the United States and France’s Bruno Bini were the other finalists.

Neymar was voted the Puskas Award for the goal of the year, winning fan voting for a solo run for Santos through the Flamengo defense. The other finalists were Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney for his bicycle kick in a Premier League match against Manchester City and Messi for his goal against Arsenal in a second-round, second-leg Champions League match.

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