Lionel Messi wins 2015 Fifa Ballon d'Or award

Lionel Messi has won the 2015 Ballon d'Or, lifting football's most coveted prize for a record fifth time.

Messi, 27, saw off the challenge of his Barcelona teammate Neymar and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo to seal the title of the world's best player at a ceremony in Zurich.

The Argentina international secured 41.33% of the vote, with Ronaldo securing 27.76%. Neymar was a distant third with 7.86%.

"It is a very special moment for me to be back here on this stage, winning again another Ballon d'Or after being there in the audience watching Cristiano win [last year]," Messi said.

"It's incredible, this is my fifth. It's much more than anything I've dreamed of as a kid. I want to thank everyone who voted for me and I want to thank my team-mates. And lastly, I want to thank football in general for everything it has brought me. Both the bad and the good. Because it has made me learn and grow."

In winning the 2012 award, the Argentina international became the first person in the history of the sport to win the award four times. In winning it again, he has shattered his own record, something he made a habit of doing last year.

Having missed out on the award in the last two years to Ronaldo, Messi led Barcelona to a Copa del Rey, La Liga and Champions League treble last season.

Elsewhere, Carli Lloyd won the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year after he role in the United States' 2015 Women's World Cup triumph.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique saw off the challenge of Pep Guardiola and Jorge Sampaoli to win the Coach of the Year award, while Jill Ellis won the women's award.

Wendell Lira of Brazilian club Vila Nova won the Fifa Puskas Award for his stunning overhead kick. The 27-year-old's strike secured almost half of the vote ahead of Messi's solo run against Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final and Alessandro Florenzi's effort from the half way line in the Champions League this season.