Argentinian star Lionel Messi was awarded his third

straight Ballon d' Or title in a prestigious ceremony

in Zurich on Monday. The 24-year-old Barcelona

heart throb finished ahead of Real Madrid star

Cristiano Ronaldo and his fellow Barcelona teammate

Xavi Hernandez. The hat trick for the striker will mean

that he has matched Michel Platini as only the second

player to win three successive awards. "It's a great

personal pleasure for me," said Messi. "It's the third

time I've won it. It's just an amazing honour. I want

to thank everyone that's been involved with me

- my team-mates, trainers, physios, the coach 

 (Pep Guardiola) and everyone at Barcelona. "I'd

also like to thank the Argentina national team as

well."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Xavi

both paid tribute to Messi. Ferguson said Messi could

now be judged alongside the greats of world football

through the ages, even though he is still only 24.

"Critics have always questioned whether players like Pele from the 50s could play today," said

Ferguson. "The answer to that is great players would play in any generation. Lionel Messi could

play in the 1950s and the present day, as could Di Stefano, Pele, Maradona, Cruyff because

they are all great players. "Lionel Messi without question fits into that category."

Earlier that evening Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola was also awarded the Best Coach award for

2011. He too finished ahead of Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Manchester United's Alex Ferguson.

The FIFPro World XI was as follows : Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Dani Alves (Barcelona),

Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd), Andres

Iniesta (Barcelona),Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi (Barcelona), Lionel Messi (Barcelona),

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd).

Votes were cast by national team coaches and captains, plus invited journalists.