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Lionel Messi Wins 2015 Ballon d'Or

Leo Messi is your 2015 Ballon d'Or winner.

For the fifth time, Lionel Messi has been declared the world's best soccer player by FIFA and awarded the Ballon d'Or. He received 41 percent of the votes. As if you needed another reason to believe he breathes rarified air, Messi is the only player to win five of the trophies. He edged out his Barcelona teammate Neymar, and unseated the World's Most Chiseled Set of Cheekbones, Cristiano Ronaldo after the Real Madrid star and legendary perfumier won the last two awards.

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After his win, Messi alluded to besting Ronaldo and thanked Football.

"It's a very special moment for me, winning another Ballon d'Or after being in the audience watching Cristiano win the last two years.
"I want to thank all who voted for me and my teammates who without none of this would be possible.
"I want to thank football for everything it has brought me - both bad and good, it has helped me grow.
"Thank you. "

Messi missed part of the year with a knee injury, but he still put together an incredible resume, including the death of one Jerome Boateng you see above. Not to mention his total destruction of Athletic Bilbao, below.

In closer-to-home news, Carli Lloyd was the Women's World Player of the Year thanks to her monster World Cup performance, capped off by a hat trick in the USWNT's win over Japan in the Final.

[Mirror]