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                                       Lionel Messi Wins Third Straight Ballon d'Or Award

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi has claim his third straight FIFA Ballon d'Or Award for the world's best football player, according to ESPN UK. Messi beat out Real Madrid icon Cristiano Ronaldo and Blaugrana teammate Xavi to claim the trophy.Messi scored 53 goals during the calender year and helped Barca win La Liga, the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup to cap off yet another extraordinary season for the dynamic offensive threat.

  He is the first player since Michel Platini to win the award three uninterrupted times.

There isn't a more feared player on the planet than the Argentine dynamo. His hard to believe pace paired with lightning-quick cuts make him virtually unstoppable for opposing back lines and once he possess the ball inside the box he's rarely stopped.

When you think about how many players are playing at such a high level around the globe, it's amazing to consider the same player can earn enough voter respect to claim the award three straight times. But if anybody's deserving, it's Messi.

The 24-year-old striker is able to stand out from the crowd despite playing on a loaded Barcelona roster that features several of the world's best players. It takes a special, truly one-in-a-lifetime talent to play at such a high level on a yearly basis.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Messi's game is the lack of slumps he endures. He's improved his allocation game in a major way over the past couple of years which has allowed him to have a significant impact on the outcome of games even if he doesn't hit the net himself.