2011 Ballon d’Or Winner: Lionel Messi. The Jewel In Guardiola’s Crown

Lionel Messi’s 2011 Ballon d’Or win was his third in a row.

The Argentine equalled Johan Cruyff’s three wins (1971, 1973, 1974) and drew level with Michel Platini’s trio of consecutive successes between 1983 and 1985.

Year after year he had grown increasingly central to Pep Guardiola and his now legendary Barcelona side. With this latest Ballon d’Or triumph, Messi’s transformation from promising rookie to masterful world-beater seemed complete.

This would be his finest season yet, in arguably the greatest club team of all-time.

Lionel Messi was the jewel in Guardiola’s crown.

The Rise Of Barcelona

Barcelona were in relative disarray, finishing the 2007/08 season in third place behind Villarreal and eventual Champions Real Madrid. Their failing coach Frank Rijkaard was soon relieved of his duties with the club’s youth manager Pep Guardiola taking the reins.

Guardiola was a trusted former player. Now as a manager, the Spaniard adopted the famous tiki-taka style of play he’d been taught during his time with Barcelona and through their youth team system.

Established stars Ronaldinho and Deco were both sold, hailing the start of a rebuild centering around talented prodigies Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and of course Lionel Messi.

The following 2008/09 season was a massive success with Guardiola’s men securing all three domestic honours and the 2009 Champions League.

Messi’s influence on the project continued to expand, playing 51 times and scoring an impressive 38 goals. The following season Barcelona retained La Liga and also won the Supercopa de España – the Argentine netting 47 goals in 53 appearances.

At the dawn of the 2010/11 campaign, Messi was reaching the height of his powers and ready for the biggest season of his life.

Messi Wins An Individual Treble

Messi was no longer just a sprightly teenager wonder but a confident and almost unplayable genius. He was 23 and under the wing of Pep Guardiola, the little Argentine was only improving.

In 2010/11, Cristiano Ronaldo had himself produced a fine season. The Portugal international hit an incredible 53 goals in 54 games and even scored the winner in the Copa del Rey final as Real Madrid beat Barcelona 1-0.

The Catalan side had added David Villa to their ranks, the Spanish striker impressing during his country’s triumph at the 2010 World Cup, scoring five goals across their eight games at the tournament.

Messi delivered his most spectacular season to date and registered 53 goals in 55 games as Barcelona claimed yet another La Liga title with Guardiola at the helm.

Yet it was his performance in the Champions League that solidified his status as the greatest player on the planet in 2011. The magical Argentinian found the net 12 times in 13 European games as Barcelona defeated Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley with Messi lifting his second Champions League trophy in three seasons.

Alex Ferguson would later say of Barcelona that “They were unplayable.”

With 47.88% of the vote, Lionel Messi finished the year in style, claiming his third Ballon d’Or in succession with all of those in football finally realising that it was unlikely to be his last.

2011 Ballon d’Or Top 20

Trivia

• Lionel Messi first met future teammate Neymar Jr in December 2011. Barcelona lined up against Brazilian side Santos in the FIFA World Club Cup final with the Spanish side winning 4-0 and Messi scoring twice.
• Cristiano Ronaldo’s winning header in the 2011 Copa del Rey final prevented Barcelona winning their second domestic treble in three seasons – with only Bayern Munich having ever achieved a ‘double treble’ before.
• This was the third successive year that Xavi finished 3rd in the Ballon d’Or having placed there in 2009 and 2010.