Lionel Messi, still just 22, has enjoyed a remarkable year in 2009, playing a critical role in helping Barcelona win six trophies and also helping Argentina qualify for next summer's World Cup
His trickery, pace, playmaking abilities and finishing marked him out as one of the very best players in Europe as Barcelona stormed to La Liga title
Barcelona followed that with victory over Ahtletic Bilbao in the Spanish Cup final, with Messi scoring in a 4-1 win
Messi then followed that with the crucial second goal - a thumping header - to cap a superb performance in the 2-0 Champions League final win over Manchester United in Rome
The historic treble - La Liga, Spanish Cup and Champions League success - underlined not only Barcelona's supreme dominance under manager Pep Guardiola, but also Messi's position as one Europe's leading lights
Not content with the treble, Barcelona added the Spanish Supercup in August, again beating Athletic Bilbao - this time 3-0 - with Messi bagging a brace
And just a couple of weeks later, Messi was again outstanding as Barcelona defeated Uefa Cup winner Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 after extra-time to win the European Super Cup in Monaco
It was then on to international matters for the diminutive playmaker, and Messi was a delighted - and no doubt relieved - man as Argentina beat Uruguay in their last qualifying match to guarantee their place at next summer's World Cup
It was no surprise, then, when Messi was awarded the prestigious Ballon d'Or for the European footballer of the year, beating Cristiano Ronaldo by a massive 240 points
The sixth trophy of a truly unprecedented year came in Dubai with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Estudiantes in the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, Lionel Messi's 110th-minute winner capping a stunning comeback by Barca
Five players are shortlisted for the Fifa Player of the Year, with Lionel Messi (second right) joined by Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta, Kaka and Xavi
And at a gala awards ceremony in Zurich, Messi wins by a landslide and collects the award from Fifa president Sepp Blatter. "A magnificent year for Barca and for me ends in the perfect way," says Messi.
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