Lionel Messi wins World Footballer of the Year

What to get him for Christmas will be the problem facing Lionel Messi's friends and family after the Barcelona winger rounded off an incredible year by scooping yet another of football's top prizes. This time it was the Fifa World Footballer of the Year award, which will go well on Messi's mantelpiece alongside his recent Ballon d'Or.

Then there's all the silverware Messi's won with Barcelona in 2009, six trophies in all, including last season's treble of the Champions League, Spanish league and Spanish cup. This season Barcelona have continued their winning ways in lifting the Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup, and the 22-year-old Messi has been instrumental in their unparalleled success

"A magnificent year for me and Barca has ended in the best way," said Messi, who scored Barcelona's second goal in the Champions League final defeat of Manchester United in May. "I have the good fortune to play in a great team. It was an historic year for Barca and for me but it's thanks to the work of everyone."

Messi was the clear winner in the poll of captains and coaches of national teams to decide the World Footballer of the Year. His 1,073 votes were 700 more than the second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, while another Spanish-based player, Messi's Barcelona teammate, Xavi, finished third with 106 nominations.

It was the first time an Argentine has won the Fifa award since its inauguration in 1991. Germany's Lothar Matthaus was the first recipient and since then its been dominated by Brazilians with three wins for Ronaldo, two for Ronaldinho and one apiece for Kaka Romario and Rivaldo. The closest an Englishman has got to winning the prestigious honour was David Beckham's second spot in 1991 and again in 2001, and Frank Lampard finishing runner-up to Ronaldinho in 2005.

Two England players, John Terry and Steven Gerrard, did feature at the ceremony in Zurich, however, when the Fifa World XI of the Year was named. Voted for by professional players, the line-up was composed solely of players from Spanish and English clubs: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid); Dani Alves (Barcelona), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United; Xavi (Barcelona), Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool); Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Fernando Torres (Liverpool).

In other awards, Cristiano Ronaldo won the inaugural Goal of the Year award for the 40-yard belter he scored for Manchester United against Porto in last season's Champions League, and Marta of Brazil picked up the Women's Player of the Year award.