Messi Wins European Golden Boot and Top Contender for Ballon D'Or

Lionel Messi has scored the most goals in Europe last season and this Monday he received another award to his noble collection.  

It total competitions, Lionel scored 50 goals beating the Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo with 45 goals.  This total was also enough to break Dudu Georgescu's record of 46 goals during 1976-77 season. 

''It is a prize for scoring goals, but without my team-mates I couldn't have scored them,'' he told reporters.

"I remember goals not because of their beauty, but because of their importance.

"I am happy to win my second Golden Shoe. Although individual trophies are not what I compete for, I play to win team trophies."

"I'm grateful to Barcelona for what they've done for me. My dream is to end my career at the club, before returning to Argentina," Messi concluded.

On other news, FIFA has announced the final 23 men who will run for the most prestigious football award, Ballon D'Or.  Below is the list:

Sergio Agüero (Argentina & Manchester City)
Mario Balotelli (Italy & Manchester City)
Karim Benzema (France & Real Madrid)
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy & Juventus)
Sergio Busquets (Spain & Barcelona)
Iker Casillas (Spain & Real Madrid)
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea & Shanghai Shenhua)
Radamel Falcao (Colombia & Atlético Madrid)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden, AC Milan & Paris St Germain)
Andrés Iniesta (Spain & Barcelona)
Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona)
Manuel Neuer (Germany & Bayern Munich)
Neymar (Brazil & Santos)
Mesut Özil (Germany, Real Madrid)
Gerard Piqué (Spain & Barcelona)
Andrea Pirlo (Italy & Juventus)
Sergio Ramos (Spain & Real Madrid)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Real Madrid)
Wayne Rooney (England & Manchester United)
Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast & Manchester City)
Robin van Persie (Holland, Arsenal & Manchester United)
Xabi Alonso (Spain & Real Madrid)
Xavi Hernández (Spain & Barcelona) 

LAST TEN WINNERS

The Ballon D'Or was the European Footballer of the Year until 2010, when it was merged with the FIFA World Footballer of the Year
2011 - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
2010 - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
2009 - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
2008 - Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
2007 - Kaka (AC Milan)
2006 - Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid)
2005 - Ronaldinho (Barcelona)
2004 - Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan)
2003 - Pavel Nedved (Juventus)
2002 - Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 

Written by Socrates Ferguson