Lionel Messi wins Golden Ball award

Paris: Argentina's Lionel Messi has won the Golden Ball awarded to the European Footballer of the Year, becoming the sixth Barcelona player to take the award and the first since Brazilian Ronaldinho in 2005.

Messi beat last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo into second place in the poll results announced early Tuesday by France Football magazine.

Hailed by Argentina great Diego Maradona as his successor, Messi won an unprecedented treble in Spain last season with Barcelona as the Catalan side swept the Champions League, the Spanish title and the Copa del Rey.

Messi was the top scorer in last year's Champions League with nine goals, including his superb header in the 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the final.