Leo, the fourth

Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo was second, the third time the 2008 winner has finished runner-up, and Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta was third as Spain again missed out. Despite dominating international football for the last four years, no Spanish player has won the award.

“It’s incredible to win a fourth in a row, amazing,” said Messi. “I want to share this with my Barcelona team mates and my Argentina team mates.”

Although Messi did not have an outstanding year in terms of Barcelona titles, missing out on the Champions League and La Liga, he enjoyed a resurgence of form with Argentina, scoring 12 goals including his first two international hat-tricks.

Spain’s Vicente del Bosque was voted as coach of the year for the first time after his team won Euro 2012, holding off Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho and former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.

“I want to remember all the coaches I had in my career who all encourage me to become a coach,” he said before appealing to his fellow coaches and players for better behaviour.

“I think everyone in football, we all feel this fascination for the game, we want the same but we want to defend football, to take care of it

... contd.