Lionel Messi Receives
FIFA Footballer Award
Argentina’s
striker, Lionel Messi has received his first FIFA World Player
of the Year title at the 19th FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich,
Switzerland.
Super Honours
Messi had an outstanding football career in 2009, leading
his club FC Barcelona to a historic season and collecting the
FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and Super Cup
crowns and the Spanish Liga, Super Cup and Cup titles along the
way.
He scored 38 goals in 51 matches in all competitions during the
2008-09 seasons. He has 15 goals in 22 games already as
Barcelona has surged to the top of La Liga and back to the
Champions League knockout phase.
The Striker is said to have obtained 1,073 points vote in which
coaches and captains of 147 national teams participated.
Icing On Cake
Messi, speaking through a translator, described his FIFA
award as, “the icing on the cake. It is beautiful to achieve a
year that cannot possibly be improved.”
And Marta Too
Alongside Messi is Brazil’s Marta who became the first to
obtain four FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Awards.
Marta thrilled fans in the revamped Women’s Professional Soccer
League in the U.S., where she won the Golden Boot and was
elected best player of the year.
The 23-year-old Brazilian playmaker won out over teammate
Cristiane Kelly Smith of England and German stars Birgit Prinz
and Inka Grings.
World eleven
FIFA has also announced the 2009 FIFA and FIFPro World XI,
as voted by players.
They are Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas, Real Madrid. Defenders: Dani
Alves, Barcelona; Patrice Evra, Manchester United; John Terry,
Chelsea; Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United.
Midfielders, Steven Gerrard, Liverpool; Xavi Hernandez,
Barcelona; Andres Iniesta, Barcelona. Forwards— Lionel Messi,
Barcelona; Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid; Fernando Torres,
Liverpool.
Agency Reports/Seun/Qasim/Yinka
