Lionel Messi wins Ballon d'Or for the fifth time

Lionel Messi accepted the Ballon d'Or for the first time in three years on Monday

Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi was awarded the 2015 Ballon d'Or at Monday's gala in Zurich.

Messi, 28, had finished behind longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo in both 2013 and 2014 but was a clear winner of FIFA's top individual honour for a record fifth time in his career.

After a year in which Barca won five trophies, including the Champions League and La Liga titles, the Blaugrana No. 10 had been an overwhelming favourite to take the prize.

He scored 52 goals and 26 assists in 61 games for club and country in 2015.

"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," Messi said in accepting his award.

"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 teammates.

"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."

Messi -- also the Ballon d'Or winner in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 -- received 41.33 percent of votes (third highest in history), while Ronaldo was easily second with 27.76 percent, and Neymar earned 7.86 percent.

Messi and Neymar helped Barca win La Liga, the Copa del Rey and Champions League in 2015, plus the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

Ronaldo scored more goals than Messi over the calendar year, netting 54 for Madrid to go with three more for Portugal, but it was not enough for his club to win any silverware.

Neither man voted for the other in their respective top threes -- they never have -- with Messi choosing Barca teammates Luis Suarez, Neymar and Andres Iniesta, and Ronaldo also selecting a trio of club colleagues in Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale.

It was the fifth straight year, and seventh in the last eight, that Ronaldo and Messi have finished 1-2 in voting. Only Andres Iniesta interrupted that streak by finishing second in 2010. Kaka, the last player other than Messi or Ronaldo to win, presented the Barcelona man with the trophy on Monday night.