Messi will not leave Barca Lionel Messi
NUMERO UNO . . . Barcelona star Lionel Messi poses with the Ballon d’Or award after claiming the gong for the fifth time in his career last night. — Mailonline

NUMERO UNO . . . Barcelona star Lionel Messi poses with the Ballon d’Or award after claiming the gong for the fifth time in his career on Monday night. — Mailonline

ZURICH. — Lionel Messi insists he will NOT leave Barcelona this summer. The Argentine collected his fifth Ballon d’Or trophy in Zurich on Monday night as he pipped Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar to the prize.

He has enjoyed another incredible year — winning five trophies with Barca and scoring a staggering 48 goals.

However, there have been reports linking him with Manchester City and a possible reunion with Pep Guardiola, should he move to the Etihad.

But speaking at the ceremony, Messi insisted he has no plans to move to the English Premier League.

“I want to keep succeeding with the club,” said Messi.

“Now is not the time to think about whether this is (my) peak. It’s more important that we keep trying to win, that we work hard. It’s a lot to think about.

‘I’ve always said that (I can’t leave Barcelona). It’s always my response. I want to finish my career at home.

“My home is Barcelona. Football changes so much. A year ago, we were all getting criticised and we ended up winning nearly everything. My intention is to terminate my career where it started, in Barcelona.”

Messi was also named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI, along with club-mates Neymar, Dani Alves and Andres Iniesta.

Barca boss Luis Enrique was awarded the World Coach of the Year prize as the Catalan giants’ domination continued.

But it was to be no clean sweep as Brazilian Wendell Lira surprisingly pipped Messi to the Puskas Award.

30 international captains who didn’t vote for Messi

Mile Jedinak — Australia

Christian Fuchs — Austria

Joel Mogorosi — Botswana

Stephane Mbia Etoundi — Cameroon

James Rodriguez — Colombia

Baez Odalis — Dominican Republic

Vanche Shikov — Macedonia

Bastian Schweinsteiger — Germany

Humberto Ruiz Carlos — Guatemala

Amer Shafei — Jordan

Talant Samsaliev — Kyrgyzstan

Teah Dennis — Liberia

Safiq Rahim — Malaysia

Michael Mifsud — Malta

Oumar N’Diaye— Mauritania

Anthony Griffith — Montserrat

Mehdi El Moutaqui — Morocco

Yan Aung Kyaw — Myanmar

Jean Brice Wadriako — New Caledonia

Chris Wood — New Zealand

Juan Barrera — Nicaragua

Per Ciljan Skjelbred — Norway

Bossio Claudio Pizarro — Peru

Robert Lewandowski — Poland

Cristiano Ronaldo — Portugal

Scott Brown — Scotland

Saif Eldin Idriss — Sudan

Ali Khaseif Alhosani — United Arab Emirates

Diego Godín — Uruguay

Fenedy Masauvakalo — Vanuatu

Selected captains’ votes

Lionel Messi (Argentina) — Suarez, Neymar, Iniesta

Mile Jedinak (Australia) — Ronaldo, Lewandowski, Neymar

Vincent Kompany (Belgium) — Hazard, De Bruyne, Messi

Neymar (Brazil) – Messi, Suarez, Rakitic

James Rodriguez (Colombia) — Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale

Petr Cech (Czech Republic) — Messi, Lewandowski, Hazard

Wayne Rooney (England) — Messi, Muller, Ronaldo

Hugo Lloris (France) — Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar

Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) — Neuer, Muller, Neymar

Arjen Robben (Netherlands) — Messi, Neymar, Suarez

Steven Davis (Northern Ireland) — Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar

Robbie Keane (Ireland) — Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar

Scott Brown (Scotland) — Lewandowsi, Ronaldo, Muller

Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia) — Messi, Hazard, Neymar

Martin Skrtel (Slovakia) — Ronaldo, Suarez, Messi

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden) — Messi, Suarez, Neymar

Michael Bradley (USA) — Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez — The Mirror.

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