Lionel Messi has been named the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award for the second time in a live poll of 54 journalists.
The Barcelona forward accepted the trophy from UEFA President Michel Platini at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Messi finished ahead of Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and team-mate Luis Suárez in a live poll of journalists who picked from the three-man shortlist announced on 12 August.
Messi, speaking after the UEFA Champions League group stage draw, said: “We’re a unified squad who worked very hard to achieve the goals we did. I’m very happy and I would like to thank my team-mates – without them I wouldn’t have received this.”
Messi, with 10 goals, was the joint-top scorer in the Champions League alongside Barceona team-mate Neymar and Ronaldo.
Other positions
4 Gianluigi Buffon (Italy – Juventus) 24 points
5 Neymar (Brazil – Barcelona) 23
6 Eden Hazard (Belgium – Chelsea) 21
7 Andrea Pirlo (Italy – Juventus) 12
8 Arturo Vidal (Chile – Juventus, now Bayern München) 11
9 Carlos Tévez (Argentina – Juventus, now Boca Juniors) 8
10 Paul Pogba (France – Juventus) 5
