The Barcelona forward,
who broke a number of records in 2012, beat teammate Andres Iniesta and
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo to an award voted for by national
coaches, captains and journalists.
The 25-year-old polled
41.60% of the votes, ahead of Ronaldo on 23.68% and Iniesta with 10.91%,
to win his fourth title in a row.
Messi's fourth FIFA crown
elevates him above the two players with three titles apiece: Brazil's
Ronaldo (1996, 1997, 2002) and Frenchman Zinedine Zidane (1998, 2000,
2003).
"To tell you the truth,
this is really quite unbelievable," he said at an awards ceremony in the
Swiss city Zurich. "The fourth award that I have had is just too great
for words."
"I would like to
recognize my other colleagues from Barcelona: Iniesta, it has been great
to train and play alongside you. I would also like to recognize all of
my friends in the Argentinian national team.
"Everyone that has worked with me coaches and staff and my family and my friends. Also my wife and my son. Thank you."
Messi ended the year with
91 goals to his name as he
beat the previous record mark of goals
scored in a calendar year -- the 85 converted by Germany's Gerd Muller
in 1972.
In addition, the
diminutive forward set a new record for the European Champions League by
scoring 14 goals during the 2011-12 campaign, a period when he became
the first man to score five goals in a game in the competition (against
Bayer Leverkusen).
2008 FIFA World
Footballer of the Year Ronaldo had to settle for second place for the
third time, after runner-up finishes to Messi in both 2009 and 2011.
Meanwhile, Vicente del
Bosque -- whose Spain side became the first team to successfully defend
the European Championship -- was named Coach of the Year.
The 62-year-old won
34.51% of the vote, with Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho second
(20.49%) and Messi's former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola third
(12.91%).
It was a good night for
Spain, which not only swept the major awards but whose La Liga provided
every single member of the FIFA FIFPro World XI following a poll of
50,00 professional players from all over the world.
The FIFA Puskas award
for the year's best goal -- which was voted for by more than five
million fans in an online poll -- was awarded to Galatasaray's Slovakian
striker Miroslav Stoch for his superb volley against Turkish league
rivals Genclerbirligi.
United States striker
Abby Wambach won the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award for the
first time while her former coach, Pia Sundhage, who led the United
States to its second Olympic gold medal at London 2012, was named
Women's Coach of the Year.
The FIFA Ballon d'Or was
awarded for the third time following the amalgamation of the FIFA World
Player of the Year award with the France Football Ballon d'Or, which
was popularly known as the European Footballer of the Year award, in
2010.
FIFA Ballon d'Or: Lionel Messi
FIFA Women's World Player of the Year: Abby Wambach
FIFA Puskas Award: Miroslav Stoch
FIFA Coach of the Year: Vicente del Bosque
FIFA Women's Coach of the Year: Pia Sundhage
FIFA / FIFPro World XI: Goalkeeper:
Iker Casillas (Spain/Real Madrid). Defenders: Dani Alves
(Brazil/Barcelona), Gerard Pique (Spain/Barcelona), Sergio Ramos
(Spain/Real Madrid), Marcelo (Brazil/Real Madrid). Midfielders: Xabi
Alonso (Spain/Real Madrid), Xavi Hernandez (Spain/Barcelona), Iniesta.
Forwards: Ronaldo, Radamel Falcao (Colombia/Atletico Madrid) and Messi.
FIFA Presidential Award: Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
FIFA Fair Play Award: Uzbekistan Football Federation
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