FIFA once again handed out the most prestigious individual honour in the game - the Ballon d'Or - to Lionel Messi.
The favourite landed the award and was named the world's best for the fourth time after fighting off competition from Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Follow our live coverage to see how it all panned out in Zurich.
AND THE WINNER IS...
Lionel Messi scoops the Ballon d'Or for the fourth time in a row
19.00: Well, that'll be all from me, folks. We've seen an unbelievable talent pull off a record-breaking feat. Lionel Messi has won his fourth consecutive Ballon d'Or after an incredible year for Barcelona last season. Have a good evening, and thanks for joining us.
18.59: For one of the greatest players ever to have lived he is extraordinarily humble. He's clearly anxious as he delivers his speech, thanking his team-mates at Barcelona, the coaching staff who have helped him and his family.
18.57: Well that's not too surprising. LIONEL MESSI HAS SCOOPED THE BALLON d'OR FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN A ROW!
Me again! Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or once again
18.54: Fabio Cannavaro is up on stage now to announce the men's winner. They'll show a few more highlights of Iniesta, Ronaldo and Messi before awarding the prize. Can Messi do it again? Or will he be pipped by Ronaldo or Iniesta?
18.52: Abby Wambach has scooped the award. That's well deserved. She's a powerful striker for the USA, and was a real handful throughout the Olympics for the Americans.
18.50: USA goalkeeper Hope Solo is accompanied by Sepp Blatter to announce the winner...
18.47: We're moments away from finding out who the winner of the Ballon d'Or is. Gullitt and Kay Murray are back on stage. Here come the final two awards.
First is the women's award. The nominees are Brazil's multiple winner Marta, and Americans Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach.
Wonder goal: Miroslav Stoch won the Puskas Award for his screamer
18.42:
18.40: Colombian great Carlos Valderrama is up on stage to announce the winner of the Puskas Award for best goal. The nominees are Neymar, Radomel Falcao and Miroslav Stoch. They were three absolute belters, but there can only be one winner...
18.37: But before the big one, we've got the FIFA Fair Play Award, to be presented by FIFA Vice-President Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein.
The winner is... Uzbekistan Football Federation.
Winner: Luiz Felipe Scolari hands the Women's Coach of the Year Award to Pia Sundhage (right) for her work with the USA team
Class act: Franz Beckenbauer picked up the Presidential Award
18.32: We're now watching clips of Andres Iniesta. This has been widely billed as a two-horse race between Ronaldo and Messi, but the Barcelona midfielder is a sensational talent.
He is a Barca boy through-and-through, and an incredible midfield maestro, but it would be a shock if the Spaniard took the award all the same. Such is the talent of the pair he's up against.
18.30: What a class act Beckenbauer is. He racked up five Bundesliga titles and three consecutive European Cups as a player, won the 1990 World Cup as a coach. I don't think many people can argue with a true great of the sport being recognised for his achievements both on and off the pitch.
What a team: The Team of the Year was made up entirely of La Liga players
18.27: A number of the non English-speaking players are sitting in the audience with headphones on as Blatter speaks. He awards the prize to the man they call "The Kaiser" - it's Franz Beckenbauer.
18.25: Sepp Blatter is up on stage in Zurich now. He'll be announcing the winner of the Presidential Award 2012.
18.23: We're being shown footage of Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo now. His former coaches are talking the audience through his development from a 'weakling' to the goal machine he now is.
18.19: The men's category is up next. Jose Mourinho of Real Madrid, ex-Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola and Spain's Euro-winning manager Vicente Del Bosque are up.
Scolari announces that the award has gone to Del Bosque. He's surely deserved that for his triumph last summer with the Spanish team. Three major tournaments in a row is no mean feat for the country, and they were imperious in Poland and Ukraine.
Up for it: Proceedings were hosted by Ruud Gullit (L) and Kay Murray
The candidates: Messi, Andres Iniesta (centre) and Cristiano Ronaldo (right)
18.18: Former Brazil and Chelsea manager Felipe Scolari announces that Pia Sundaghe has won the award. She sings a song in her acceptance speech... lovely touch!
18.16: We now turn our attention to the Women's Coach of the Year. The nominees are France coach Bruno Bini, Japan manager Norio Sasaki and former USA coach Pia Sundhage.
18.10: We've just had the Team of the Year. All 11 players are up on stage, and ten of those, barring Atletico Madrid's Radomel Falcao, plays for either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
The full XI: Iker Casillas, Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Radomel Falcao, Cristiano Ronaldo
Is the Premier League still the greatest league in the world? I suppose it's only fair to have six Spanish players. They didn't do too badly last season...
Game for a laugh: Ronaldo (right) grabs hold of the microphone
18.05: The three players have all been introduced by host Ruud Gullit, but first we'll have the 2012 Puskas Award for the most significant or beautiful goal and Coach of the Year Award.
18.03: Messi faces familiar foes for the most prestigious award in football. Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta and past winner and Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo.
18.00: Well here we are ladies and gents. The big question on everyone's lips is: Can Lionel Messi really win this for the fourth year running?
Despite donning a suspect, spotted jacket with matching bow tie, the Barcelona man has had a near perfect few years.
In 2012, the diminutive Argentinean scored an incredible 91 goals.
Favourite: Lionel Messi is expected to pick up the Ballon d'Or for the fourth time
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2HKLvXmUF
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
The favourite landed the award and was named the world's best for the fourth time after fighting off competition from Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Follow our live coverage to see how it all panned out in Zurich.
AND THE WINNER IS...
Lionel Messi scoops the Ballon d'Or for the fourth time in a row
19.00: Well, that'll be all from me, folks. We've seen an unbelievable talent pull off a record-breaking feat. Lionel Messi has won his fourth consecutive Ballon d'Or after an incredible year for Barcelona last season. Have a good evening, and thanks for joining us.
18.59: For one of the greatest players ever to have lived he is extraordinarily humble. He's clearly anxious as he delivers his speech, thanking his team-mates at Barcelona, the coaching staff who have helped him and his family.
18.57: Well that's not too surprising. LIONEL MESSI HAS SCOOPED THE BALLON d'OR FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN A ROW!
Me again! Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or once again18.54: Fabio Cannavaro is up on stage now to announce the men's winner. They'll show a few more highlights of Iniesta, Ronaldo and Messi before awarding the prize. Can Messi do it again? Or will he be pipped by Ronaldo or Iniesta?
18.52: Abby Wambach has scooped the award. That's well deserved. She's a powerful striker for the USA, and was a real handful throughout the Olympics for the Americans.
18.50: USA goalkeeper Hope Solo is accompanied by Sepp Blatter to announce the winner...
18.47: We're moments away from finding out who the winner of the Ballon d'Or is. Gullitt and Kay Murray are back on stage. Here come the final two awards.
First is the women's award. The nominees are Brazil's multiple winner Marta, and Americans Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach.
Wonder goal: Miroslav Stoch won the Puskas Award for his screamer18.42:
18.40: Colombian great Carlos Valderrama is up on stage to announce the winner of the Puskas Award for best goal. The nominees are Neymar, Radomel Falcao and Miroslav Stoch. They were three absolute belters, but there can only be one winner...
18.37: But before the big one, we've got the FIFA Fair Play Award, to be presented by FIFA Vice-President Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein.
The winner is... Uzbekistan Football Federation.
Winner: Luiz Felipe Scolari hands the Women's Coach of the Year Award to Pia Sundhage (right) for her work with the USA team Class act: Franz Beckenbauer picked up the Presidential Award 18.32: We're now watching clips of Andres Iniesta. This has been widely billed as a two-horse race between Ronaldo and Messi, but the Barcelona midfielder is a sensational talent.
He is a Barca boy through-and-through, and an incredible midfield maestro, but it would be a shock if the Spaniard took the award all the same. Such is the talent of the pair he's up against.
18.30: What a class act Beckenbauer is. He racked up five Bundesliga titles and three consecutive European Cups as a player, won the 1990 World Cup as a coach. I don't think many people can argue with a true great of the sport being recognised for his achievements both on and off the pitch.
What a team: The Team of the Year was made up entirely of La Liga players18.27: A number of the non English-speaking players are sitting in the audience with headphones on as Blatter speaks. He awards the prize to the man they call "The Kaiser" - it's Franz Beckenbauer.
18.25: Sepp Blatter is up on stage in Zurich now. He'll be announcing the winner of the Presidential Award 2012.
18.23: We're being shown footage of Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo now. His former coaches are talking the audience through his development from a 'weakling' to the goal machine he now is.
18.19: The men's category is up next. Jose Mourinho of Real Madrid, ex-Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola and Spain's Euro-winning manager Vicente Del Bosque are up.
Scolari announces that the award has gone to Del Bosque. He's surely deserved that for his triumph last summer with the Spanish team. Three major tournaments in a row is no mean feat for the country, and they were imperious in Poland and Ukraine.
Up for it: Proceedings were hosted by Ruud Gullit (L) and Kay Murray The candidates: Messi, Andres Iniesta (centre) and Cristiano Ronaldo (right) 18.18: Former Brazil and Chelsea manager Felipe Scolari announces that Pia Sundaghe has won the award. She sings a song in her acceptance speech... lovely touch!
18.16: We now turn our attention to the Women's Coach of the Year. The nominees are France coach Bruno Bini, Japan manager Norio Sasaki and former USA coach Pia Sundhage.
18.10: We've just had the Team of the Year. All 11 players are up on stage, and ten of those, barring Atletico Madrid's Radomel Falcao, plays for either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
The full XI: Iker Casillas, Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Radomel Falcao, Cristiano Ronaldo
Is the Premier League still the greatest league in the world? I suppose it's only fair to have six Spanish players. They didn't do too badly last season...
Game for a laugh: Ronaldo (right) grabs hold of the microphone18.05: The three players have all been introduced by host Ruud Gullit, but first we'll have the 2012 Puskas Award for the most significant or beautiful goal and Coach of the Year Award.
18.03: Messi faces familiar foes for the most prestigious award in football. Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta and past winner and Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo.
18.00: Well here we are ladies and gents. The big question on everyone's lips is: Can Lionel Messi really win this for the fourth year running?
Despite donning a suspect, spotted jacket with matching bow tie, the Barcelona man has had a near perfect few years.
In 2012, the diminutive Argentinean scored an incredible 91 goals.
Favourite: Lionel Messi is expected to pick up the Ballon d'Or for the fourth timeRead more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2HKLvXmUF
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Comment