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Ciuriche (Switzerland) hosted the FIFA Best of the Year Awards ceremony on Monday.
The most important prize - the title of the best player of the year - was won for the third consecutive time by star Lionel Messi, who surpassed his team-mate Xavi and Real Madrid's star Cristiano Ronaldo in the voting of national team coaches, captains, and journalists. By the way, Ronaldo, like other representatives of the capital team, did not participate in the ceremony as they are preparing for Tuesday's King's Cup match against Malaga.
Messi received 47.88% of the votes, C.Ronaldo - 21.6%, Xavi - 9.23%. Behind them were Andres Iniesta (Barcelona, 6%), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd, 2.31%), Luis Suarez (Liverpool, 1.48%), Diego Forlanas (Inter Milan, 1.43%), Samuel Eto'o (Makhachkala Anzhi, 1.34%), Iker Casillas (Real, 1.29%) and Neymar (Santos, 1.12%).
The Argentine became the first person since 1983 who failed to dethrone him from the throne for three years in a row. 24-year-old Messi joins ranks with UEFA president and legendary Frenchman Michel Platini.
"It is an extraordinary pleasure and honor to be the winner," Messi said. "I want to thank my team-mates, colleagues, and coaches who voted for me. It would not have been possible without friends in the Argentina team and the Barcelona club. But I want to share the prize with Xavi - you deserve it no less than I do."
The best coach of the year was Pep Guardiola, the driver of the Spanish champions, who surpassed Man Utd coach Sir Alex Ferguson and Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho.
Meanwhile, the most beautiful goal of the year was scored by San Paulo Santos prodigy Neymar, whose precise shot into Flamengo's goal delighted the internet, with a total of 1.3 million votes. Other contenders were Messi and Wayne Rooney.
You can see other two goals by clicking here
The award for impressive career achievements went to Ferguson, the "Fair Play" award to the Japan Football Association, the best female footballer of the year to Japanese Homare Sawa, and the coach to Norio Sasaki, who leads the national team of this country.
The symbolic FIFPro best eleven was also announced: (player, club, national team)
Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas (Real, Spain)
Defenders: Dani Alves (Barcelona, Brazil) Gerard Pique (Barcelona, Spain) Sergio Ramos (Real, Spain) Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd, Serbia)
Midfielders: Andreas Iniesta (Barcelona, Spain) Xavi (Barcelona, Spain) Xabi Alonso (Real, Spain)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina) Cristiano Ronaldo (Real, Portugal) Wayne Rooney (Man Utd, England)
Individual prizes:
FIFA Best Player of the Year: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) FIFA Best Men's Coach: Pep Guardiola (Barcelona) FIFA Best Female Player: Homare Sawa (Japan) FIFA Best Women's Coach: Norio Sasaki (Japan) FIFA Presidential Achievement Award: Sir Alex Ferguson (Man Utd) FIFA Fair Play Award: Japan Football Association Most Beautiful Goal: Neymar (Santos)
