Lionel Messi claimed the World Player-of-the-Year award yesterday to nearly complete his collection of football's greatest honours.
Messi tacked on the prestigious award to his growing list of accolades at a FIFA gala ceremony in Zürich, easily outdistancing the last two winners - Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka - along with his Barcelona teammates Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta in voting among national team captains and coaches.
It caps a perfect year for the winger, who won an unprecedented treble of titles with Barcelona - the Spanish League and cup, and the Champions League - and received the Ballon D'Or as the best player in Europe. He also sealed Barcelona's first Club World Cup on Saturday with an extra-time goal to beat Estudiantes 2-1.
"It is beautiful to achieve a year that cannot possibly be improved," Messi said through a translator. He called the award "the icing on the cake".
Messi, who was runner-up the last two years, received 1,047 points in voting. Ronaldo was second with 352 points, followed by Xavi with 196 points.
Messi scored 38 goals in 51 matches in all competitions during 2008-2009 season, and has continued with 15 goals in 22 games this campaign as Barcelona have surged to the top of La Liga and back to the Champions League knockout phase.
Elusive world cup title
All that eludes the 22-year-old Argentine now is a World Cup title.
Asked about his play with Argentina, Messi said he didn't know why he has been unable to recapture his club form with his country.
"Argentina had a hard time in the qualifying round," he conceded. "But the World Cup is something different. I just hope the team and I can play better."
The women's award went to Brazil's Marta for the fourth year in a row. The 23-year-old playmaker beat teammate Cristiane, Kelly Smith of England and Germans Birgit Prinz and Inka Grings.
"I'm really surprised," Marta said.
The late England player and manager Bobby Robson received FIFA's fair play award, while the presidential award for contributions to football and society went to Jordan's Queen Rania.
The world football body also announced its first World XI men's team - which included six players from the Spanish League and five from the Premier League. Real Madrid's Iker Casillas was chosen as goalkeeper, with Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra joining Chelsea's John Terry and Barcelona's Dani Alves in defence. Xavi, Iniesta and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard were picked as midfielders, with Messi, Ronaldo and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres in attack.