Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi was on Monday named winner of the FIFA World Player for the third consecutive year.

Messi, 24, headed a three-player shortlist, alongside Barcelona club teammate Xavi Hernandez and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo.

"It's a great personal pleasure for me," said Messi.

"It's the third time I've won it. It's just an amazing honor. I want to thank everyone that's been involved with me: my team-mates, trainers, physios, the coach and everyone at Barcelona.

"I'd also like to thank the Argentina national team as well," he added.

Only World Cup winners Zinedine Zidane of France and Brazil's Ronaldo have won three times since FIFA created its world player award in 1991, now merged with the Ballon d'Or presented by France Football magazine since 1956.

Japan's Sawa takes women's award

The award was announced at a glamorous gala in the Kongresshaus in Zurich, Switzerland. It crowns a successful year for Messi, who won the Spanish league, the Champions League, the Club World Cup, as well as the Spanish and UEFA Super Cups with Barcelona.

The women's award went to the captain of Japan's World Cup winning team, Homare Sawa. The 33-year-old is the first-ever Asian winner of a World Player award.

The two coaches' awards went to Japan's Norio Sasaki, coach of Japan's winning team at the 2011 Women's World Cup, while Barcelona's Pep Guardialo took the award for best men's coach of the year.

Author: Dagmar Breitenbach (AP, AFP, dpa)
Editor: Andreas Illmer