UEFA president Michel Platini said that Barcelona star Lionel Messi fully deserved to win the2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or award.
Messi has emulated Platini in winning the prestigious accolade for the third successive year after beating Barca team-mate Xavi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
“The Ballon d’Or is something special,” Platini told Goal.com.
“It is subjective, but there are criteria.”
“The fact that we have given three trophies to a boy like him (Messi) is logical because he does splendid things.”
“As I have said, he is helped by an exceptional group like Barca’s.”
The UEFA official, though, was wary of estimating whether or not Messi could become the best player in the history of the game.
“Let him finish his career. When Ronaldinho won his Ballon d’Or (in 2005) award, I said that he would win many more, but he never did it again.”
