BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was presented with a record third Golden Boot Wednesday for scoring the most goals in Europe's domestic leagues last season. The 26-year-old Messi helped Barcelona win the 2012-13 Spanish league by scoring 46 goals despite missing several games with a right hamstring pull near the end of the season. Messi also won the award for 34 goals in 2009-10, and a Spanish record 50 in 2011-12. The first player to receive the award three times, Messi dedicated his latest trophy to his family and his teammates, calling it a team award. “This is a beautiful award that goes to the entire squad for what it has done,” Messi said. “It is a group award more than an individual one because those are a lot of goals. I wouldn't have won it without them, this one or the previous ones.” Messi is recovering from a left hamstring tear that will probably keep him sidelined for the rest of 2013. It was his third leg injury of the season. Before his latest injury, he had eight goals in 11 league appearances. After receiving the trophy from former Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov, Messi said his leg was feeling better while remaining cautious about rushing back. Several teammates, including Cesc Fabregas, Xavi Hernandez and Carles Puyol, along with club president Sandro Rosell were in attendance. FIFA extends voting deadline for Ballon d'Or Cristiano Ronaldo is now the favorite to win the Ballon d'Or following changes made Wednesday to the voting process. FIFA reopened the deadline and invited voters to switch their preference on the morning after the Portugal forward's hat trick helped his country qualify for the World Cup. “Votes which had already been submitted can be changed until Nov. 29,” FIFA said in a statement. FIFA said the decision was prompted by “a low number of responses” by last Friday's original deadline. The world's best player in 2013 is chosen by national team coaches and captains, plus a journalist from each of FIFA's 209 member countries. Ronaldo won in 2008, while Lionel Messi has taken the award for the past four years. Ronaldo scored all three goals in Portugal's 3-2 victory in Sweden Tuesday to advance to the World Cup. The Real Madrid forward also scored the only goal in the first leg in Lisbon last Friday, just ahead of the midnight deadline in Europe for the original voting window. The decision Wednesday follows angry speculation in Portugal and Madrid that FIFA has been biased toward Messi, an Argentine who plays for Barcelona. FIFA President Sepp Blatter told an audience of students in Oxford, England, last month that he preferred Messi as a nicer, more humble personality compared to Ronaldo, who he suggested was excessively interested in his hairstyle and appearance. Blatter then stood up to mimic Ronaldo's style on the field, which he described as like a “commander.” — Agencies
