Lionel Messi wins the Ballon d’Or: Van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo beaten as Barcelona star claims sixth title

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has won his sixth Ballon d’Or.

The 32-year-old beat Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo to the award and picked up the trophy in a ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

Messi becomes the first player to win the award on six occasions, having been tied with Ronaldo on five.

The Argentine and the Portuguese dominated the Ballon d’Or for a decade between 2008 and 2017, winning five apiece in that time.

"I would like to thank all the journalists who have voted for me, who wanted me to win this prize," Messi said. "Thank you so much to my colleagues from the club, and all my colleagues who have contributed a lot for this prize. It's really amazing."

The Messi-Ronaldo duopoly was broken last year as Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric claimed the prestigious prize, but the Barca forward has now collected a record sixth Golden Ball.

Messi won four Ballons d’Or between 2009 and 2012 after starring in the great Barcelona team under Pep Guardiola and claimed the prize again in 2015 after leading the Catalan club to a treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League crowns with Luis Enrique in charge.

Messi wins the Ballon d'Or for a sixth time Photo: AFP via Getty Images

He was the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or this year, having beaten Van Dijk to Fifa’s The Best trophy in September.

Messi was attended the France Football event with his family Photo: AFP via Getty Images

The Argentine attacker hit 51 goals in 50 appearances in 2018-19 as Barcelona won LaLiga, but lost out to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals.

Ernesto Valverde’s side also lost the Copa del Rey final to Valencia, having been just three games from a treble, and Messi’s Argentina team were beaten by eventual champions Brazil in the semi-finals of the Copa America in July.

Here are the major domestic, international and individual prizes Messi has won since 2005.

Barcelona

LaLiga (10): 2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19

Copa del Rey (six): 2008-09, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18

Champions League (four): 2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2014-15.

Messi holds this year's trophy aloft Photo: AP/Francois Mori

Argentina

Fifa Under-20 World Cup: 2005.

Olympic gold medal: 2008.

Individual

Ballon d'Or/Fifa Ballon d'Or (six): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019.