'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Footballer of the Year: Lionel Messi bags his fifth Ballon d’Or TrophyNow, it wasn't a very unexpected conclusion, this time around, as most of us saw this coming. It was Lionel Messi’s night, and everyone knew it from the beginning. With the kind of performances that he had displayed last season, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that he would go on to beat rival and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and his protegé and team-mate Neymar. The 2015 Ballon d’Or ceremony was held in Zurich Switzerland on Monday night, and the night was more about savouring a stunning year of football. This gala continues to be one of the most prestigious nights in football year in and year out, even though there is no actual football being played. It's popularity, however, is setting new benchmarks, with this year’s event no exception. It was a great event indeed. Or at least, it looked like one.Great things were said, great photos were clicked and great moments were lived. To sum up the entire event, we bring you the best moments from the 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or in this slideshow. What was your favourite moment from the event? Comment below.
#1 A night to remember for Lionel Messi and the world
Lionel Messi was adjudged to be the best player in the world once again. Actually, the fifth time to be precise, a feat that will take some time for any other player to surpass after having previously won in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The FC Barcelona and Argentina national team forward was an overwhelming favourite with 41.33% of the votes while Real Madrid’s Ronaldo came in second with 27.76%. Messi’s Barcelona teammate Neymar came in third with just 7.86% of the votes.
Read more: Who did Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar vote for? Who finished in the top 10?
“It is incredible it is my fifth, more than I dreamed of as a kid. I would like to thank all who voted for me, my teammates and football in general for everything it has brought me, bad and good, it has made me grow and learn always,” he said after being handed the trophy by 2007 Ballon d’Or winner Ricardo Kaka.
"It's a very special moment for me, winning another Ballon d'Or after being in the audience watching Cristiano win the last two years,” he added. "I want to thank all who voted for me and my teammates who without none of this would be possible.”
Last season was an incredibly successful one for Messi as he led a newly formed trio with Neymar and Luis Suarez, scoring 48 times in the calendar year for Barcelona. In all competitions, his tally stood at 52 goals and 27 assists from a total of 61 appearances. Ronaldo may have scored more goals (57 in total) from the same number of matches, but Messi got the nod as he helped Barcelona win five major titles.
Here are some of Messi’s most candid photos from the event:
#2 Neymar\'s priceless reaction
What most of you thought happened:
What actually happened:
(Trust me! This is what happened!)
#3 The pre-event interview
For all the allurement and the glamour and the never ending battle between two particular footballers, events like the Ballon d’Or are still great for bringing some of the biggest names in football together, all under the same roof.
The press conference ahead of the Gala was a delightful surprise for fans who had been eagerly waiting for the ceremony as Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo responded to several questions from the press and social media.
Read more: What Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar said at the press conference
When asked about his rivalry with Ronaldo and if he was jealous of any of Ronaldo’s strengths, Lionel Messi said, “I don’t feel envy. That’s a negative trait. I like Cristiano. I am the way I am. He is the way he is.” Ronaldo was also asked the same and replied saying, “His left foot is really good. I’d like to have that!”. To which Neymar instantly replied, joking "I'd like to have both!".
The Brazilian, however, wasn’t shy of expressing his satisfaction at sharing the same stage as his idols.
“I’m very pleased to be here alongside two great players. I think they are absolutely the best, that’s why they’re here,” he said.
#4 A fan crowd-surfing his way on to the red carpet
A Cristiano Ronaldo fan looked more eager than anyone else at the gala to meet his hero, and he almost did. It was ahead of the award ceremony when this fan grabbed the spotlight, finding himself on the other side of the fence, using an ingenious way to attempt to meet his idol.
He was immediately removed by the security officials as his dream to meet the Real Madrid star was left unfulfilled.
#5 An awkward night for Ronaldo
"What will you do after you are done with your career, Ronaldo?" asked 16-year-old Sebastian from Denmark who had apparently selected the right FIFPro XI in a competition. The winner of the competition was eligible to share the stage with these football stars and ask one of them a question of his choice.
Now, that was perhaps not what Ronaldo had in mind as he looked surprised at Sebastian's question. There was Ronaldo, standing along with the rest of the FIFPro players, unprepared and not sure as to how he would tackle the question. Sebastien, might as well have been Manchester United director Ed Woodward's agent, trying to act as a catalyst in bringing the Portuguese forward back to the Premier League.
“I have my plan,” Ronaldo replied eventually, after an uncomfortable silence. “Me and my team. A strategic plan. I want to carry on with my brand, and different kinds of… brand. And I’m so comfortable. This is the most important thing. I’m very comfortable.”
Well, it wasn't as awkward as this one though.
#6 The host\'s chaos at the end mirrored that of FIFA
Many might have missed this incident as the winners were already announced when it had happened, but we were not going to let it go so easily. The mix-up involved hosts James Nesbitt and Kate Abdo who left their mics on when the curtains went down on the event.
Nesbitt, a lifetime Manchester United fan, invited all the winners on stage, but then no one would join him. Seeing that no one did, the duo waved goodbye and were prepping to wrap up the event.
"Are they crazy? Why did they change the second bit of the script?" Abdo was heard saying this, not knowing their mics were left on.
Nesbitt replied stating, "I know, they tried to stop Ronaldo getting onstage. Do we do this bit now?"
"I don't know, it's chaos," Abdo added.
It was perhaps not the most ideal of situations for the hosts when things go a bit off-script, but the same was the case for both of them who were also seen showing off their ability to speak multiple languages during the event.
#7 More photos from the gala
What was so great about this FIFA Ballon d’Or? Perhaps the fact that (allegedly) corrupt figures like Sepp Blatter and Michael Platini were nowhere to be seen. It made the event a little bit more enjoyable.
Here are some of the most interesting photos from the event that I might have missed:
