Messi picks up Ballon d'Or

The Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi has been voted European Footballer of the Year 2009.

Messi pipped last years winner Cristiano Ronaldo with a massive margin. As a matter of fact, he was only 7 points short from the maximum.

Besides Ronaldo, the other candidates were Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o, Steven Gerrard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andres Iniesta, Kaka, Wayne Rooney and Xavi. All of whom will be part of their national teams at the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

Messi's teammates at Barcelona Xavi and Iniesta picked up 3rd and 4th place respectively. Eto'o, who left Barcelona this summer for Inter Milan, was 5th. Kaka and Ibrahomivic followed at 6th and 7th, while two Englishmen, Rooney and Gerrard, Drogba picked up the 9th place.

Messi is also the favorite to win FIFA World Player of the Year award near the end of the month.

And all thanks to this club form. Now don't get me wrong, Messi deserved that award, but it has mainly due to with his club Barcelona cleaning up every competition they competed in last season. Messi was top scorer of the side, hitting 38 goals, while other players also put on a remarkable contribution. If you look at the TOP 5, four of the players were part of the side. And whilst it's hard to argue that somebody wasn't worth his spot, it's does live a taste that only club honours matter.

For Argentina, Messi always seems to be ineffective. This syndrome has deepened under Maradona and his style of play.

Barcelona and Argentina use Messi very differently. Barca use their wing-back very actively, allowing Messi to roam in the centre. He does that for Argentina too, but in the formation, he's set up centrally, not on the wing, cutting into centre like he does for Barcelona.

Big problem with the Argentina-Messi is also that the teams relies too much on him. Whilst he has the talent and can create a moment of brilliance, he can't too it all by himself. But it seems that is what is expected by his teammates.

Two of World's best players, have a curse of currently having an incompetent managers in charge of their international teams. And whilst they have the skills to change a football match, they can't do it all by themselves and I'm predicting the star of the show in South Africa will be somebody else.