UEFA president Michel Platini believes that Barcelona attacker Lionel Messi will win the Ballon d'Or award for the third consecutive year.

The Argentinian was named on the 23-man shortlist earlier this month and is currently the favourite to be awarded the trophy.

Platini is the only player to have won the Ballon d'Or for three straight years but he has no doubt that Messi will equal his achievement.

"I believe that Messi will win his third Ballon d'Or in a row," he told reporters. "I know that records are meant to be broken and I also believe he will overtake me.

"I arrived at Juve at the age of 27, while Messi arrived at Barca when he was 13. Times have changed.

"If I had grown at Juventus, I would have won even more awards, but my grandparents moved to France and I cannot appeal to any court against this."

The winner will be announced in early January.

Written by
Liam Apicella