Formidable golden boy Messi rules the world once more

Lionel Messi strengthened his claim to be considered the greatest footballer of all time by winning a record-breaking fourth consecutive Fifa Ballon d’Or last night.

The 25-year-old took the honour ahead of Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo in second and Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta at an awards ceremony in Zurich.

The Argentina forward enjoyed a remarkable 2012, even by his own high standards, most notably surpassing Gerd Muller’s 40-year-old record of 85 goals in a calendar year, finishing with an incredible 91.