Lionel Messi Wins European Club Footballer Of The Year Award

Lionel Messi is officially the best player in Europe, according to UEFA, who today named him as both the overall winner of the European Club Footballer of the Year award and as the Europea Club Forward of the Year for his exploits when his club, Barcelona, swept all before them.

The overall prize saw Messi shortlisted alongside the other three positional winners, who are revealed below, before he received the grand award.

The shortlists, as well as the final winners, were selected by sixteen of Europe's top coaches, namely those who led their sides to the First Knockout Round of last year's competition.

As expected, FC Barcelona dominated the nominations and ended up scooping two of the possible five accolades, while English sides such as Manchester United and Chelsea - not to mention Liverpool - were not far behind. Every single nominee came from one of these four clubs.

Here we offer a full examination of each winner, as well as a look at the players each one defeated to earn their prize (or, in the case of Messi, prizes.)

EUROPEAN CLUB FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Lionel Messi

Shortlisted: Edwin van der Sar, John Terry, Xavi


After the four awards below were given out, the respective winners gathered to hear which player out of these four cardinal positions was judged to be Europe's best.

In the end, and to the surprise of few, Messi garnered the award.

The young Argentine was asked to select his crowning moment from a memorable year, but in particularly bashful fashion he offered this response:

"It's really difficult to pick just one. It was an unbelievable year which gave me so much happiness and success."




EUROPEAN CLUB FORWARD OF THE YEAR
Winner: Lionel Messi

Shortlisted: Samuel Eto'o, Cristiano Ronaldo


The Argentine was up against some stiff competition for the best forward prize, in the shape of Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, who reached the final of the Champions League and won the Premier League with Manchester United, and his own former team-mate Samuel Eto'o, now in Italy at Inter.

All told, Messi hit nine Champions League goals last season, making him the most prolific player in the contest. He also provided five decisive assists for teammates.




EUROPEAN CLUB MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Xavi

Shortlisted: Andres Iniesta, Steven Gerrard


Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez was also confirmed as UEFA's club midfielder of the year at today's Champions League draw in Moncao, having beaten off competition from club colleague Andres Iniesta and Liverpool's talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard.

The Spaniard was a part of the smooth-passing, aesthetically pleasing Blaugrana side who attracted plenty of praise from neutrals as they collected an astonishing treble of trophies, with their European win supplementing victories in the Copa del Rey and La Liga.




EUROPEAN CLUB DEFENDER OF THE YEAR

Winner: John Terry
Shortlisted: Gerard Pique, Nemanja Vidic


Chelsea defender John Terry was earlier named as UEFA's club defender of the year, having emerged as the best from a trio of top contenders which was completed by Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic and Barcelona's Gerard Pique.

The lion-hearted Englishman was superb last season as the Blues won the FA Cup, once again showing all the leadership and commitment of a player who has now picked up this award three times.

"I think just to train hard every day, that's something I try and do myself," he revealed. "Especially for myself, not to get my hands on that trophy (the Champions League) is enough motivation for me. And that's something I'm aiming to do, to lift that trophy with Chelsea Football Club."



EUROPEAN CLUB GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR

Winner: Edwin van der Sar
Shortlisted: Victor Valdes, Petr Cech


Edwin van der Sar was today confirmed as UEFA's official club goalkeeper of the year, having been named as the continent's top glovesman ahead of the draw for the Champions League today in Monaco.

The Manchester United keeper fought off a challenge from Chelsea's Petr Cech, the winner of the award last year, and Barcelona's Victor Valdes, who of course won a treble with the Catalans last season.

Van der Sar enjoyed something of a renaissance last season, defying the critics who felt that he was too old at 38 to keep his place at Old Trafford to set a clutch of clean sheet records.