Great news. Keep on playing Leo my son. Though you need to turn out for Brentford to keep Michael happy in St Albans.
'I have beautiful years ahead of me'
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
More from Lionel Messi: "Today is my sixth Ballon d'Or. It's a completely different moment, lived with my family and my children.
"As my wife said, you must never stop dreaming but always work to improve and continue to enjoy. I am very lucky, I am blessed.
"I hope to continue for a long time. I realize that I am very lucky, even if, one day, retirement will ring. It will be difficult.
"But I still have beautiful years ahead of me. Time goes very quickly, so I want to enjoy football and my family."
"I want to be here again next year"
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
He's the only finalist I can say I've actually met but Virgil van Dijk is a very nice man indeed.
"I never thought that I would be up for a Ballon d'Or until I was actually
nominated," he said.
"It shows a lot about how my career has been. My career has been different
from the winner here, I came late, but I never gave up on my dreams.
"I had to work hard every step of the way, so to be here makes me very proud.
And I want to work hard and be here again next year."
'You need to respect greatness'
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
"It was an amazing year, but there's a couple of players like that who are a
bit unnatural," said Virgil van Dijk, of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"So you need to respect greatness as well.
"I was close, but there was just someone a little bit better. I'm very proud of what I achieved last year with Liverpool and the Netherlands, and
hopefully we can do that again this year. But that will be tough with those guys
around here still."
Get Involved
SMS Message: Messi again - outrageous! Never, ever wanted to test himself in a ‘competitive’ league or with a competing team. Never had an impact at International level. Safe, dull choice. from Michael. St Albans
Messi again - outrageous! Never, ever wanted to test himself in a ‘competitive’ league or with a competing team. Never had an impact at International level. Safe, dull choice.
SMS Message: 3 LFC players in the top 5 and 4 in top 10. So very proud, well done boys. Back on our perch! from Ant, Bham
3 LFC players in the top 5 and 4 in top 10. So very proud, well done boys. Back on our perch!
Post update
Lionel Messi ends the evening up on stage with six golden balls behind him and tickertape raining down, like a contestant with a particularly good day at the Crystal Maze.
Post update
FIFTY-TWO hat-tricks.
Messi in numbers
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
701 - appearances for Barcelona
614 - goals for Barcelona, including a record 428 in LaLiga
91 - goals scored in 2012, breaking the calendar-year record set by German Gerd
Muller in 1972
52 - career hat-tricks; 46 for Barcelona, six for Argentina
138 - caps for Argentina
70 - goals for Argentina, his nation's all-time leading scorer. That tally
includes his two in the 2008 Olympics.
10 - LaLiga titles with Barcelona
4 - Champions League wins.
6 - times he has won the Ballon d'Or, as the world's best player (in 2009,
2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019).
Post update
Virgil van Dijk: "It's been an amanzing year, I was close but unfortunately there are a couple of players like him [Messi.]
"I am very proud."
The top 10
Lionel Messi
Virgil van Dijk
Cristiano Ronaldo
Sadio Mane
Mo Salah
Kylian Mbappe
Alisson
Robert Lewandowski
Bernardo Silva
Riyad Mahrez
Post update
Lionel Messi: "I would like to thank all of the journalists who voted for me and wanted me to have this prize. Thank you so much to my colleagues who have actually contributed a lot to this prize. It is amazing, thank you so much."
Post update
Cristiano Ronaldo's win in 2008 remains the last time a player from outside La Liga took the win...
Post update
Lionel Messi is made to sit and watch a long video of highlights from the year and his career, ending with a long message from his wife. Soak it up sir.
Last year's winner Luka Modric strides on stage to hand over the ball of gold.
Live Reporting
Tom Rostance
All times stated are UK
- Lionel Messi won his sixth Ballon d'Or
- Megan Rapinoe won the second women's Ballon d'Or
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images -
Lionel Messi
-
Virgil van Dijk
-
Cristiano Ronaldo
-
Sadio Mane
-
Mo Salah
-
Kylian Mbappe
-
Alisson
-
Robert Lewandowski
-
Bernardo Silva
-
Riyad Mahrez
View more on twitterView more on twitter View more on twitterView more on twitter -
Lionel Messi
-
Virgil van Dijk
-
Cristiano Ronaldo
-
Sadio Mane
View more on twitterView more on twitter
Latest PostGood night!
And so ends the bash in Paris! If you're just tuning in:
Post update
Great news. Keep on playing Leo my son. Though you need to turn out for Brentford to keep Michael happy in St Albans.
'I have beautiful years ahead of me'
More from Lionel Messi: "Today is my sixth Ballon d'Or. It's a completely different moment, lived with my family and my children.
"As my wife said, you must never stop dreaming but always work to improve and continue to enjoy. I am very lucky, I am blessed.
"I hope to continue for a long time. I realize that I am very lucky, even if, one day, retirement will ring. It will be difficult.
"But I still have beautiful years ahead of me. Time goes very quickly, so I want to enjoy football and my family."
"I want to be here again next year"
He's the only finalist I can say I've actually met but Virgil van Dijk is a very nice man indeed.
"I never thought that I would be up for a Ballon d'Or until I was actually nominated," he said.
"It shows a lot about how my career has been. My career has been different from the winner here, I came late, but I never gave up on my dreams.
"I had to work hard every step of the way, so to be here makes me very proud. And I want to work hard and be here again next year."
'You need to respect greatness'
"It was an amazing year, but there's a couple of players like that who are a bit unnatural," said Virgil van Dijk, of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"So you need to respect greatness as well.
"I was close, but there was just someone a little bit better. I'm very proud of what I achieved last year with Liverpool and the Netherlands, and hopefully we can do that again this year. But that will be tough with those guys around here still."
Get Involved
Post update
Lionel Messi ends the evening up on stage with six golden balls behind him and tickertape raining down, like a contestant with a particularly good day at the Crystal Maze.
Post update
FIFTY-TWO hat-tricks.
Messi in numbers
701 - appearances for Barcelona
614 - goals for Barcelona, including a record 428 in LaLiga
91 - goals scored in 2012, breaking the calendar-year record set by German Gerd Muller in 1972
52 - career hat-tricks; 46 for Barcelona, six for Argentina
138 - caps for Argentina
70 - goals for Argentina, his nation's all-time leading scorer. That tally includes his two in the 2008 Olympics.
10 - LaLiga titles with Barcelona
4 - Champions League wins.
6 - times he has won the Ballon d'Or, as the world's best player (in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019).
Post update
Virgil van Dijk: "It's been an amanzing year, I was close but unfortunately there are a couple of players like him [Messi.]
"I am very proud."
The top 10
Post update
Lionel Messi: "I would like to thank all of the journalists who voted for me and wanted me to have this prize. Thank you so much to my colleagues who have actually contributed a lot to this prize. It is amazing, thank you so much."
Post update
Cristiano Ronaldo's win in 2008 remains the last time a player from outside La Liga took the win...
Post update
Lionel Messi is made to sit and watch a long video of highlights from the year and his career, ending with a long message from his wife. Soak it up sir.
Last year's winner Luka Modric strides on stage to hand over the ball of gold.
46 goals and counting
The moment Messi won it
Post update
Add 2019 to Lionel Messi's wins in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.
How has he not won more? That's the question I'd be asking...
The top four
Post update
Six times a winner, Lionel Messi knows the way up to the stage as his two sons celebrate wildly...
BreakingMessi wins it again!
He is pretty good to be fair...