The world's greatest -- Messi claims record fourth FIFA Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi saw off Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta to win the prize for a fourth time.

LIONEL MESSI ADDED added yet another record to his stellar list of achievements over the past 12 months on Monday when he won an unprecedented fourth, consecutive, Ballon d’Or at a FIFA gala in Zurich.

The accolade seals Messi’s status as the greatest player of his generation after he saw off Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta for the prize.

Messi received a vote share of 41.60% to 23.68% for Ronaldo and 10.91% for Iniesta.

Messi and former French star, UEFA president Michel Platini, had prior to Monday been the only players to win three straight Ballon d’Or awards while Dutch greats Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten both won the accolade on three occasions.

Spain’s Vicente del Bosque was named coach of the year for 2012, seeing off competition from Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho and former Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola.

Messi’s success crowned another landmark year for the Argentine who is already the top scorer in La Liga for the ongoing season with 25 goals, having also broken Gerd Mueller’s 40-year record for the most goals in a calendar year.

He finished 2012 with an astonishing 91 goals in all competitions.

But Messi has insisted his scoring records will mean nothing if Barcelona do not go on to take the La Liga title off Real or fail to win the Champions League.

It is incredible to receive this prize once again and it’s impressive it makes it four in a row. I would like to share this with my Barca teammates – particularly with Andres, who is here with me.
I am proud to be able to train alongside him every day. I am also thinking of my teammates in the Argentina squad.

Thank you to all those who voted for me, skippers, coaches and national coaches.

Thank you too to my family, my friends and of course my wife and son, who is the best thing that ever happened to me.

All three Ballon d’Or nominees also featured in the FIFA FIFPro World XI, a team comprised entirely of players from Barcelona and Real Madrid with the exception of Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao.

Olympic gold medallist Abby Wambach was named Women’s World Player of the Year, beating Brazil’s Marta and US international team-mate Alex Morgan to the prize while Sweden’s Pia Sundhage was named women’s world coach of the year.

Miroslav Stoch of Fenerbahce won the FIFA Puskas Award for 2012′s best goal.

FIFA Award Winners 2012

FIFA Ballon d’Or: Lionel Messi
FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year: Abby Wambach
The FIFA / FIFPro World XI: Iker Casillas; Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta; Lionel Messi, Radamel Falcao, Cristiano Ronaldo.
FIFA Puskas Award: Miroslav Stoch (Fenerbahce)
FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men’s Football: Vicente del Bosque (Spain)
FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football: Pia Sundhage (Sweden)
FIFA Presidential Award: Franz Beckenbauer
FIFA Fair Play Award: Uzbekistan Football Federation