Argentina's Lionel Messi (L) and US's Abby Wambach pose with their trophies after winning the World Player of the Year awards during the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2013 at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, Switzerland, Monday. — AP ZURICH — Record four-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi had no sooner picked up his award in Zurich Monday than he was forecasting there's much more to come, as he is still only 25. The accolade sealed Messi's status as the greatest player of his generation after he saw off Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta for the prize with a vote share of 41.60 percent to 23.68 for Ronaldo and 10.91 for Iniesta. And the man nicknamed “La Pulga” (the flea), who moved ahead of three-time winners Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco Van Basten after a year in which he scored a world record 91 goals, promptly looked forward to further glories. “There's always space to grow up and be better. We never reach perfection. I will keep trying to be better and better and keep growing as a player,” Messi says in an interview for the premiere edition of 60 Minutes Sports to air on US cable outlet Showtime Wednesday. Messi retained his typical modesty, however, in crediting his teammates for his win. “Barca is not just Messi. Barca has very good players,” said the star from Rosario, who joined the Catalan club as a 13-year-old suffering from a hormone growth deficiency. The club paid for a treatment program and he went on to make the grade with style, winning five La Liga crowns to date and three Champions League titles. Messi tells 60 Minutes Sports that when he started out he did not realize quite what special talents he possesses. “I never truly realized, to be honest. Back then, I couldn't even dare to dream about all that has happened to me,” Messi said. Iniesta complemented Messi by predicting his Barcelona teammate would be back for more next year. “Leo, if he continues in this vein, won't let a fifth straight Ballon d'Or title slip. I congratulate him on a fourth which makes him unique. Abby Wambach became the first American since 2002 to win the women's Player of the Year award and Sweden's Pia Sundhage, who led the United States to the gold medal at the Olympic Games, was named coach of the year for women's football. Spain bathed in glory Tuesday after Messi won the Ballon d'Or, cementing his claim to be one of the greatest players of all time. Spain coach Vicente del Bosque also snatched top honors, in recognition of their Euro 2012 triumph, which followed its 2010 World Cup win and Euro 2008 crown, to top a virtual clean sweep for Spanish and La Liga players at the prestigious awards. “Unique, unmatchable Messi,” the Madrid-based paper Marca said after the striker scored a stunning 91 goals in 2012 in all competitions, smashing the 40-year-old record of German legend Gerd Mueller of 85. “Leo Messi was crowned yesterday as the best player in history,” Marca said. “No-one until now had won four Ballons d'Or in a row. Leo has done it, and consecutively.” Rival sports daily AS, too, lavished praise on Messi. “Since we have known him, every year he plays better, every year he scores more goals,” said the paper's columnist Alfredo Relano. “I have never seen a player with such power. He lacks aesthetic but he has plenty of everything else,” he said, predicting even more Ballons d'Or to come. “Golden Messi,” headlined the Barcelona-based Mundo Deportivo, adding: “Leo Messi is the greatest. Huge. Unique.” On his return to Barcelona airport, Messi told reporters that he had forgotten many people in his speech but had wanted to mention Barca coach Tito Vilanova, who is being treated for a cancer of the salivary gland, and defender Eric Abidal. The French defender is training with the squad again after a liver transplant. “When things calmed down I remembered Tito and Abidal and everyone, obviously,” Messi said, apologizing for his omission. In the FIFPro selection for the best 11-man line-up, meanwhile, six were Spaniards and all but two were from the Spanish league. That selection included Ronaldo and three other Real players — Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso -- plus Iniesta, Messi and two other Barcelona players, Gerard Pique and Xavi Hernandez. Outside the footballing sphere, Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal in Twitter messages congratulated Messi and Del Bosque. “Congrats to Leo Messi for his new golden ball,” he wrote. “It was difficult with two cracks like Iniesta and Cristiano.” “How proud I feel of Del Bosque, making history with this great squad,” he added. — Agencies
