Lionel Messi has won the Fifa Ballon d'Or prize for the best player of 2011, becoming only the fourth player in history to win the trophy three times.
The Argentine forward, 24, beat Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona team-mate Xavi to the prize.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson won an award for services to football, while Messi's boss Pep Guardiola was voted coach of the year.
"I think [Messi] is going to break all the records that exist," said Xavi.
Messi, who previously won the prestigious accolade in 2009 and 2010, was man of the match in Barca's 2011 Champions League final victory over Manchester United and also won the Primera Division, Spanish Supercopa, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup last year.
Dutchmen Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten, plus Frenchman Michael Platini, are the others to have won the award on three occasions.
And Messi joined them after gaining 47.88% of votes in the survey among national team coaches, captains and selected media, with Ronaldo taking 21.6% and Xavi 9.23%
The Argentine forward, 24, beat Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona team-mate Xavi to the prize.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson won an award for services to football, while Messi's boss Pep Guardiola was voted coach of the year.
"I think [Messi] is going to break all the records that exist," said Xavi.
Messi, who previously won the prestigious accolade in 2009 and 2010, was man of the match in Barca's 2011 Champions League final victory over Manchester United and also won the Primera Division, Spanish Supercopa, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup last year.
Dutchmen Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten, plus Frenchman Michael Platini, are the others to have won the award on three occasions.
And Messi joined them after gaining 47.88% of votes in the survey among national team coaches, captains and selected media, with Ronaldo taking 21.6% and Xavi 9.23%
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