Lionel Messi agreed with Fifa after the Player of the Year award wa given to Cristiano Ronaldo that the right decision had been made. He also said it was normal to cry on this kind of occasion as Ronaldo shed some tears on been handed his second Ballon d’Or trophy.
“It is a normal emotion at a time of excitement,” Messi said. “I want to congratulate Cristiano because he was the deserved winner.”
But in the voting itself, it was revealed that Messi voted for Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Neymar while Ronaldo voted for Radamel Falcao, Gareth Bale and Mesut Ozil which means that the two players do not consider the other to be in his top three players in the world.
Messi wouldn’t be drawn to comment on whether his injuries stopped him winning a fifth consecutive title.
“I have nothing to say about that. I think it was a good year for all three of us so I have nothing to complain about and no need to make excuses. I don’t know if it would have been different without the injuries.
“It’s true I didn’t get right until the semi-finals of the Champions League and this year I got injured at the beginning of the season. But that has nothing to do with this. Cristiano merits the win.”