Football great Lionel Messi was hailed the FIFA World Player of the Year award on Monday after leading FC Barcelona to several Spanish and European titles. Messi won the award convincingly, with a big lead over the last two winners of the FIFA World Player of the Year award, football aces Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka.

Lionel Messi: FIFA World Player of the Year.

Apart from the FIFA World Player of the Year Award, Lionel Messi was also awarded the Ballon D’Or as the best player in Europe. This comes after Messi led FC Barcelona to win the Spanish league and cup and the Champions League. Messi also willed FC Barcelona to its first Club World Cup on Saturday with an extra-time goal that sunk Estudiantes, 2-1.

The Argentine Messi’s only elusive cup now in the world of football is a World Cup title. See the World Cup Draw results and the schedule of Argentina in the 2010 World Cup schedule.

Calling the FIFA World Player of the Year Award “the icing on the cake,” Messi stated, through an interpreter:

“It is beautiful to achieve a year that cannot possibly be improved.”

Messi, the last two years’ runner-up for the FIFA World Player of the Year title, received 1,047 points in voting, while Cristiano Ronaldo was second with 352 points. Xavi rounded out the top three with 196 points.

FC Barcelona’s Messi deservingly won the award after scoring 38 goals in 51 matches during the 2008-09 season. The football great already has 15 goals in 22 games as his team surged to the top of La Liga and back to the Champions League knockout phase.

Last year’s FIFA World Player of the Year award recipient, Cristiano Ronaldo, was honored for scoring the best goal of the year. In last season’s Champions League, Ronaldo scored on an incredible 40-yard shot against Porto. Ronaldo also credited Messi’s Barcelona teammates for their stellar play:

“Xavi and Iniesta also deserve the award. If I had to choose, I would say all three of them.”

The first World XI men’s team was also announced, which included six players from the Spanish league and five from the Premier League. Iker Casillas of Real Madrid was goalkeeper, while Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra of Manchester United joined John Terry of Chelsea and Dani Alves of Barcelona on defense. Xavi, Iniesta and Steven Gerrard of Liverpool were picked as midfielders, with Messi, Ronaldo and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres in attack.