PARIS: Lionel Messi was Thursday voted UEFA's best player in Europe for 2014-2015 with Germany's Celia Sasic winning the women's award in a Europe-wide poll of journalists.
The Argentina star, who won the Champions League, Spain's La Liga and Spanish Cup with Barcelona, claimed the award for the second time ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez.
“I am happy to win the award. I thank all my teammates because they deserve part of it. I depend a lot on the team like everyone else,” the 28-year-old said.
Messi also won in 2010-2011 and succeeds Real Madrid rival Ronaldo who won last year.
FFC Frankfurt's Sasic, 27, was voted the best women's player ahead of France's Amandine Henry and fellow German Dzsenifer Marozsan.
Sasic, who retired last month, was the top scorer in the Champions League which Frankfurt won, the Bundesliga and at the Women's World Cup in Canada where she won the Golden Boot award.
