Messi Receives Golden Shoe Award As Shortlisted Players For FIFA Ballon D’Or Is Released

Golden Boy: Leo Messi

Barcelona ace, Lionel Messi has been handed the Golden Shoe Award. The Barcelona man picked up the award on Monday, recognition for scoring the most goals in Europe’s domestic leagues last season – Messi, 25, set a Spanish League record by nettinging 50 goals in 2011-2012, beating Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo by four goals.

Messi dedicated his latest accolade to his teammates, saying ‘it is a prize for scoring goals, but without my teammates I couldn’t have scored them.’
He has now won the coveted award three seasons in a row – 2009, 2010, 2011.
In a related development, the shortlist of players for this year’s FIFA Ballon D’Or award has been revealed with Barcelona and Real Madrid dominating the list, with no fewer than eleven players shortlisted.
National team coaches and captain, as well as selected journalists, will now cast their votes with a final shortlist of three unveiled on November 29.
The winner will be announced at the FIFA Gala in Zurich on January 7 next year.
Likewise, Chelsea’s Champions League winner Roberto Di Matteo, Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Man City gaffer Roberto Mancini feature on the 10-strong FIFA Coach of the Year shortlist.
The other managers shortlisted are Vicente Del Bosque (Spain), Pep Guardiola (Barcelona), Jupp Heynckes (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund), Joachim Loew (Germany), Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid) and Cesare Prandelli (Italy).

THE FULL BALLON D’OR SHORTLIST

Sergio Agüero (Argentina & Manchester City)
Mario Balotelli (Italy & Manchester City)
Karim Benzema (France & Real Madrid)
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy & Juventus)
Sergio Busquets (Spain & Barcelona)
Iker Casillas (Spain & Real Madrid)
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea & Shanghai Shenhua)
Radamel Falcao (Colombia & Atlético Madrid)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden, AC Milan & Paris St Germain)
Andrés Iniesta (Spain & Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona)
Manuel Neuer (Germany & Bayern Munich)
Neymar (Brazil & Santos)
Mesut Özil (Germany, Real Madrid)
Gerard Piqué (Spain & Barcelona)
Andrea Pirlo (Italy & Juventus)
Sergio Ramos (Spain & Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Real Madrid)
Wayne Rooney (England & Manchester United)
Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)
Robin van Persie (Holland, Arsenal & Manchester United)
Xabi Alonso (Spain & Real Madrid)
Xavi Hernández (Spain & Barcelona)