Spain bathed in glory on Tuesday after Barcelona star Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or for best footballer of the year for a record fourth time, cementing his claim to be one of the greatest players of all time.
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Spain coach Vicente del Bosque also snatched top honours, in recognition of their Euro 2012 truimph, which followed its 2010 World Cup win and Euro 2008 crown, to top virtual clean sweep for Spanish and La Liga players at the prestigious awards.
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But it was the smiling 25-year-old Argentine international who stole the show, with pictures of him picking up the FIFA prize in Zurich dressed in an eye brow-raising black and white-spotted suit and bow tie, splashed across front pages.
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'' Spain!!! '' headlined Madrid-based Marca, Spian's biggest-selling sports daily and a favourite of Real Madrid fans.
Messi is just the best of all time.He is the greatest, greater than any other footballer that has existed